Charmonium

/kɑːrˈmoʊniəm/ noun

Definition

In physics, a bound state of a charm quark and its antiquark; a type of meson studied in particle physics.

Etymology

Blend of 'charm' (quark property) and 'onium' (suffix for quark-antiquark pairs like positronium). Created by physicists in the 1970s after the charm quark's discovery.

Kelly Says

Charmonium was discovered in 1974 and its existence proved quarks were real—this particle made particle physicists famous and won Burton Richter and Samuel Ting the Nobel Prize!

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