The word "strange quark" is a term commonly used in particle physics to describe a specific type of elementary particle. In terms of its spelling, "strange" is pronounced with the phonetic transcription /stɹeɪndʒ/, while "quark" is pronounced /kwɔrk/. The spelling of "quark" is unique, as it was coined by physicist Murray Gell-Mann in 1963 and is not related to any previously used word. The strange quark plays an important role in the formation of particles such as kaons and neutral hyperons.
A strange quark is a fundamental particle in the field of particle physics, which plays a significant role in the Standard Model of particle physics. It is one of the six types of quarks, along with up, down, charm, top, and bottom quarks. Quarks are elementary particles that combine to form protons and neutrons, which in turn make up the nucleus of atoms.
The strange quark has a fractional electric charge of -1/3 times the elementary charge, just like the down quark. However, the strange quark differs from the down quark in its flavor and overall properties. It carries the "strangeness" quantum number, a property specific to this type of quark.
The term "strange" was initially assigned in the early days of particle physics to signify its relatively long decay time compared to other particles. Strange quarks can undergo a weak decay process, transforming into down quarks through the emission of a virtual W boson.
One of the key features of strange quarks is their involvement in the strong nuclear force, facilitated by the exchange of gluons, the particles responsible for holding quarks together. They contribute to the composition of certain hadrons, such as the hyperons, mesons, and baryons, which are composite particles made up of quark combinations.
The study of strange quarks is crucial for understanding the behavior of matter at the subatomic level and for exploring the nature of nuclear forces and fundamental particles. Through experiments conducted at particle accelerators and theoretical calculations, physicists continue to uncover the properties and interactions of strange quarks, advancing our knowledge of the fundamental components of the universe.
The word "strange" in the context of physics comes from the scientific term "strangeness", which was introduced by Murray Gell-Mann in 1964. Gell-Mann named this property "strangeness" because strange particles, which possess the characteristic of strangeness, were initially observed to have longer lifetimes compared to other particles. This observation was considered "strange" at the time, hence the name.
The term "quark" was coined by Murray Gell-Mann in 1963 when he introduced the concept as a fundamental building block of matter. Gell-Mann derived the term "quark" from a line in James Joyce's novel "Finnegans Wake". The line states, "Three quarks for Muster Mark"! Gell-Mann found the word "quark" to be a suitable and catchy term for the elementary particles he was proposing.