Strange particles, also known as strange hadrons or strange mesons, are subatomic particles that contain a strange quark or antiquark. The strange quark is one of six flavors of quarks, which are elementary particles that make up protons, neutrons, and other hadrons.
The properties of strange particles are characterized by the presence of the strange quark. Some of their properties include:
Strangeness: Strangeness is a quantum number that is conserved in strong and electromagnetic interactions but not in weak interactions. Strange particles have a non-zero strangeness value, which can be positive, negative, or zero. For example, a particle with one strange quark has a strangeness value of -1, while a particle with one strange antiquark has a strangeness value of +1.
Decay Modes: Strange particles can decay through the strong and weak interactions. Strong decays involve the exchange of gluons, particles that mediate the strong nuclear force, while weak decays involve the exchange of W or Z bosons, particles that mediate the weak nuclear force.
Lifetimes: The lifetimes of strange particles vary. Some strange particles, like the neutral K-meson (K^0), have relatively short lifetimes and decay rapidly, while others, like the Lambda baryon (Λ), have longer lifetimes.
Production: Strange particles can be produced in high-energy particle collisions, such as those that occur in particle accelerators. They can also be created in cosmic ray interactions with the Earth's atmosphere.
Detection: Strange particles can be detected indirectly by observing their decay products. High-energy particle detectors, such as those used in particle physics experiments, can identify and measure the properties of strange particles based on the characteristics of the particles they decay into.
Strange particles have been observed and studied extensively in particle physics experiments. The discovery of strange particles played a crucial role in the development of the quark model and the understanding of the strong nuclear force. Examples of strange particles include the K-mesons (K^+, K^0, K^-), the Lambda baryon (Λ), the Sigma baryon (Σ), and many others. These particles are produced in high-energy collisions and their properties have been measured and studied to gain insights into the fundamental structure of matter.