Strange quark

Uncommon card · No. 150131

The strange quark or s quark (from its symbol, s) is the third lightest of all quarks, a type of elementary particle. Strange quarks are found in subatomic particles called hadrons. Examples of hadrons containing strange quarks include kaons (K), strange D mesons (Ds), sigma baryons (Σ), and other strange particles. According to the IUPAP, the symbol s is the official name, while "strange" is to be considered only as a mnemonic. The name sideways has also been used because the s quark (but also the other three remaining quarks) has an I3 value of 0 while the u ("up") and d ("down") quarks have values of 1⁄2 and -1⁄2 respectively. Along with the charm quark, it is part of the second generation of matter. It has an electric charge of -1⁄3 e and a bare mass of 95+9−3 MeV/c2. Like all quarks, the strange quark is an elementary fermion with spin 1⁄2, and experiences all four fundamental interactions: gravitation, electromagnetism, weak interactions, and strong interactions. The antiparticle...

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