Strange Quark

Third-lightest quark, present in strange particles like kaons.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Explains the unexpectedly long lifetimes of kaons and hyperons found in cosmic rays in 1947.
• Carries the strangeness quantum number, conserved by the strong force but violated in weak decays.
• Strange quark matter is hypothesized to exist in the cores of neutron stars.

Specifications & Metrics

• MASS: 92.9 ± 0.7 MeV/c²
• SPIN: 1/2
• SYMBOL: s
• PDG ID: Q003
• PDG EDITION: PDG 2026
• CHARGE: −1/3 e

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