Mesons

Mesons are subatomic particles made up of a pair of quarks—one quark and one antiquark—held together by the strong force. They are part of the family of particles known as hadrons, which also includes protons and neutrons. Mesons are typically very short-lived and play a crucial role in mediating the strong interactions between other particles, such as those in atomic nuclei. They come in various types, differentiated by their specific properties, such as mass and charge. Understanding mesons helps physicists explore fundamental forces and the structure of matter in the universe.