Isospin

Isospin is a concept from particle physics that helps describe the similarities between protons and neutrons, which are the building blocks of atomic nuclei. It treats these particles as different states of a more fundamental entity, similar to how different spins of a top can represent the same object. Isospin allows scientists to organize particles into groups based on their interactions and properties, making it easier to understand and predict their behavior in nuclear reactions. This concept is crucial for studying the strong force, which binds protons and neutrons together in the nucleus.