What is a strangeness in particle physics?

Strangeness is a quantum number that determines the stability of particles in particle physics.

In particle physics, strangeness is a quantum number that determines the stability of particles. It is a property of hadrons, which are particles made up of quarks. Strangeness is a conserved quantity, which means that it is always the same before and after a particle interaction.

Particles with non-zero strangeness are called strange particles. They are typically more massive and unstable than particles with zero strangeness. Strange particles can decay into other particles through the weak force, which is responsible for radioactive decay.

The discovery of strange particles in the 1950s led to the development of the quark model, which explains the properties of hadrons in terms of their constituent quarks. The quark model predicts that particles with non-zero strangeness are made up of at least one strange quark.

Strangeness is also important in the study of high-energy collisions, such as those that occur in particle accelerators. By measuring the production and decay of strange particles, physicists can learn about the properties of matter at high temperatures and densities, such as those that existed in the early universe.