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Antiquark - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

An antiquark is the antiparticle of a quark, carrying opposite electric charge and color charge. It combines with quarks or other antiquarks to form composite particles like mesons or antibaryons.

antiquark

/ˈæntiˌkwɑrk/ /ˈæntiˌkwɑːk/

Definition:

A subatomic particle with the same mass as a quark but opposite charge and quantum properties.

Synonyms:

anti-particle, quark counterpart, hadron component

Part of Speech:

noun

Antonyms:

quark, matter particle

Common Collocations:

antiquark pair, antiquark annihilation, antiquark spin

Derivatives:

antiquarks, antiquarkonium

Usage Tips:

Use "antiquark" in physics contexts to describe its role in particle interactions and antimatter.

Common Phrases:

antiquark confinement, antiquark-gluon plasma, top antiquark

Etymology:

Coined from "anti-" (opposite) + "quark," a term from particle physics introduced in the 1960s.

Examples:

  • 1. An antiquark is the antiparticle of a quark.
  • 2. Protons contain two up quarks and one down quark but no antiquarks.
  • 3. Antiquarks are produced in high-energy particle collisions.
  • 4. The positron is to the electron as the antiquark is to the quark.

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