Strangeness
Key Stage 5
Meaning
Strangeness is a conserved quantity in the strong nuclear interaction but is not conserved in the weak interaction.
About Strangeness
- Strangeness is carried by the Strange-quark, which carries a strangeness of -1 and the Antistrange-quark, which carries a strangeness of +1.
- During the strong interaction strangeness is transferred between hadrons.
- During the weak interaction a Strange-quark may decay into a Down-quark losing its strangeness. Similarly an Antistrange-quark may decay into an Antidown-quark.
- Baryons may carry a strangeness of between -3 (for matter) and +3 (for antimatter).
- Mesons may carry a strangeness between -1 and 1.