omega-minus particle

subatomic particle

Also known as: Ω- particle

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July 1, 2026

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The omega-minus particle is a type of hyperon, which is a quasi-stable subatomic particle belonging to the baryon class. Baryons are composed of three quarks and are heavier than protons and neutrons. Hyperons, specifically, contain one or more strange quarks. The omega-minus particle is the most massive of the hyperons and was the last to be discovered in the 1947–64 period. Its existence was predicted by the Eightfold Way, a system for classifying hadrons. The omega-minus particle has a negative charge and a mass approximately 3,270 times that of an electron.12

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subatomic particle
SU(3) symmetry
…known as the Ω⁻ (or omega-minus), had not yet been observed. Its discovery early in 1964, at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York, confirmed the validity of the SU(3) symmetry of the hadrons.
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…known as the Ω⁻ (or omega-minus), had not yet been observed. Its discovery early in 1964, at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York, confirmed the validity of the SU(3) symmetry of the hadrons.
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Eightfold Way
The particle, called omega-minus, was discovered in 1964. That same year, Gell-Mann set forth the concept of quarks as the physical basis for the classification system, thereby establishing the foundation for the modern quark model of hadrons. See also quark.
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The particle, called omega-minus, was discovered in 1964. That same year, Gell-Mann set forth the concept of quarks as the physical basis for the classification system, thereby establishing the foundation for the modern quark model of hadrons. See also quark.
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Murray Gell-Mann
…and subsequent discovery of the omega-minus particle (1964). Over the years, research has yielded other findings that have led to the wide acceptance and elaboration of the quark concept.
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…and subsequent discovery of the omega-minus particle (1964). Over the years, research has yielded other findings that have led to the wide acceptance and elaboration of the quark concept.
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