Xi baryon

A Xi baryon (Ξ baryon), also known as a cascade baryon, is a type of subatomic particle belonging to the baryon family. Baryons are composite particles made up of three quarks. Xi baryons are characterized by containing three quarks, with two of those quarks being strange quarks (s) and one being either an up (u) or down (d) quark.

There are two main types of Ξ baryons:

• Ξ⁰ (Xi-zero): Composed of the quarks (uss). It is electrically neutral.

• Ξ⁻ (Xi-minus): Composed of the quarks (dss). It has a negative electric charge.

Both Ξ⁰ and Ξ⁻ are subject to the strong nuclear force and decay via the weak nuclear force. They are heavier than protons and neutrons due to the presence of strange quarks, which are more massive than up and down quarks. They are also heavier than Lambda (Λ) and Sigma (Σ) baryons, which contain only one strange quark.

Xi baryons are typically produced in high-energy particle collisions, such as those created in particle accelerators. Their study is important for understanding the fundamental forces and particles that make up matter, as well as the properties of the strong and weak interactions.

The isospin of Ξ baryons is I = 1/2. This means they form an isospin doublet with two states, corresponding to Ξ⁰ and Ξ⁻.

The lifetimes of Ξ baryons are relatively short, on the order of 10⁻¹⁰ seconds, before they decay into lighter particles. The decay products usually involve other baryons (like Λ or Σ) and mesons (like pions). The exact decay modes vary depending on the specific Xi baryon involved.