meson

/ˈmizɑn/

/ˈmizɒn/

Other forms: mesons

Definitions of meson

1. noun

   an elementary particle responsible for the forces in the atomic nucleus; a hadron with a baryon number of 0
   synonyms: mesotron

   types:

   b-meson

   exceedingly short-lived meson

   J particle, psi particle

   a neutral meson with a large mass

   K particle, k-meson, kaon, kappa-meson

   an unstable meson produced as the result of a high-energy particle collision

   pi-meson, pion

   a meson involved in holding the nucleus together; produced as the result of high-energy particle collision

   type of:

   boson

   any particle that obeys Bose-Einstein statistics but not the Pauli exclusion principle; all nuclei with an even mass number are bosons

   hadron

   any elementary particle that interacts strongly with other particles