Encyclopedia > Pion

  Article Content

Pion

Pion is a shortened form of the name Pi meson; this subatomic particle comes in three forms: the pi-zero (π0), pi-plus (π+) and pi-minus (π-). Pi mesons are the lightest mesons.

Pi mesons have zero spin and are composed of first generation quarks. An up and an anti-down quark compose a pi-plus, while a down and an anti-up quark compose the pi-minus, its antiparticle. Combinations of up and anti-up, or down and anti-down, would both be neutral, but because they have the same quantum numbers are only found in superpositions. The lowest energy superposition is the pi-zero, and it is its own antiparticle.

The pi-plus (π+) and pi-minus (π-) may combine to form an exotic atom called pionium, if they are created close to each other with a small relative momentum.

External Link



All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

 
  Search Encyclopedia

Search over one million articles, find something about almost anything!
 
 
  
  Featured Article
Canadian Music Hall of Fame

... Awards. Complete list of Inductees 1978 Guy Lombardo 1978 Oscar Peterson 1979 Hank Snow 1980 Paul Anka 1981 Joni Mitchell 1982 Neil Young 1983 Glenn ...

 
 
 
This page was created in 36.6 ms