Quark

:For other uses of this term, see: Quark (disambiguation)

Spin

Quantum numbers corresponding to non-Abelian symmetries like rotations require more care in extraction, since they are not additive. In the quark model one builds mesons out of a quark and an antiquark, whereas baryons are built from three quarks. Since mesons are bosons (having integer spins) and baryons are fermions (having half-integer spins), the quark model implies that quarks are fermions. Further, the fact that the lightest baryons have spin-1/2 implies that each quark can have spin J  =  1/2. The spins of excited mesons and baryons are completely consistent with this assignment.

Related Topics:
Non-Abelian - Meson - Baryon - Boson - Spin - Fermion

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