Definition

A type of subatomic particle made of a quark and an antiquark, which participates in strong interactions and has a mass between leptons and baryons.

Example

The physicists studied the properties of mesons to understand the strong force better.

Conversation

Did you hear about the new discovery in particle physics?

No, what did they find?

They found a new type of meson that could change our understanding of strong interactions.

That's fascinating! I can't wait to read more about it.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Meson → The word is derived from the Greek "mesos" (meaning middle). In particle physics, a meson is a type of subatomic particle that is intermediate in mass between baryons and leptons, hence the name reflects its position in the particle hierarchy.

Memory Tip

Think of 'middle' in Greek ('mesos') to remember that a meson is a particle that is in the middle range of mass compared to other particles.

Visually Confused Words