Strange quarks are called "strange" because they were originally discovered as a result of their unusual behavior in particle physics experiments in the mid-20th century. The discovery of strange quarks helped explain some previously puzzling properties of certain particles, and their name reflects this peculiarity.
When strange quarks come into contact with ordinary matter, their behavior depends on the specific circumstances and the energy involved. Generally, strange quarks are not found as free particles in everyday matter but rather in the form of more complex particles called hadrons, which are bound states of quarks.
If a strange quark is part of a hadron, such as a meson or a baryon, it interacts with other quarks and gluons within the hadron. The strong nuclear force, which is responsible for holding quarks together, dominates these interactions. As a result, the strange quark interacts with other quarks through the exchange of gluons, and the properties of the hadron are influenced by the presence of the strange quark.
When a strange quark-containing hadron interacts with ordinary matter, such as electrons, protons, atoms, or molecules, the strong nuclear force plays a significant role. These interactions can lead to processes like scattering, where the hadron collides with the ordinary matter particles, or to the formation of bound states between the hadron and the ordinary matter particles. These interactions are complex and depend on the specific characteristics of the particles involved, as well as the energy and momentum of the collision.
It's worth noting that the behavior of strange quarks is also influenced by other fundamental forces, such as the electromagnetic and weak forces, which can come into play in certain interactions. Additionally, in high-energy environments like particle colliders or astrophysical phenomena, strange quarks can be produced in processes involving high temperatures and densities, leading to the formation of a quark-gluon plasma.
Overall, the behavior of strange quarks in contact with ordinary matter is a subject of study in particle physics and is understood within the framework of the Standard Model of particle physics, which describes the fundamental particles and their interactions.