baryon number

baryon number

n. Abbr. B

A quantum number equal to the difference between the number of baryons and the number of antibaryons in a system of subatomic particles. It remains the same throughout any reaction.

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baryon number

A quantum number equal to the number of baryons in a system of subatomic particles minus the number of antibaryons. Baryons have a baryon number of +1, while antibaryons have a baryon number of -1. Quarks and antiquarks have baryon numbers of + ¹/₃ and - ¹/₃ , respectively (baryons consists of three quarks). Mesons, bosons, and leptons all have baryon numbers of 0. Although the baryon number has always remained unchanged in reactions observed in experiments, it is postulated that in interactions that take place under conditions of very high energies (as during the formation of the universe, for example), proton decay may take place, and baryon number conservation may be violated. See also isospinstrangeness

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

baryon number - a number equal to the difference between the number of baryons and the number of antibaryons in any subatomic structure; it is conserved in all types of particle interactions number - a concept of quantity involving zero and units; "every number has a unique position in the sequence"