Definition

A type of subatomic particle that is a meson, which can be neutral, positively charged, or negatively charged, and is made of quarks. It has a mass significantly greater than that of an electron and is involved in the strong force that holds atomic nuclei together.

Example

The pion plays a crucial role in mediating the strong force between nucleons in an atomic nucleus.

Conversation

I was reading about different subatomic particles, and I came across the pion.

Oh really? What did you learn about it?

It turns out a pion can be neutral or charged, which is pretty interesting.

That is cool! I love learning about how these particles interact.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Pion → The word 'pion' originates from the Greek word 'pion' (meaning heavy), which is derived from 'pēn' (meaning to be fat or heavy). In particle physics, a pion is a type of meson that is heavier than other mesons. Thus, the term 'pion' refers to a heavy particle.

Memory Tip

Think of the Greek word for heavy ('pion') to remember that a pion is a heavy particle in physics.

Visually Confused Words