J/psi particle

[ jey-sahy, -psahy ]
/ ˈdʒeɪˈsaɪ, -ˈpsaɪ /

noun Physics.

the lightest of the psi particles, the first particle to be discovered that contains a charmed quark.

Origin of J/psi particle

First recorded in 1975–80; see J particle, psi particle

British Dictionary definitions for j/psi particle

J/psi particle

noun

a type of elementary particle (meson) thought to be formed from charmed quarks See charm 1 (def. 7)

Scientific definitions for j/psi particle

J/psi particle
[ jā′sī′, -psī′ ]

An electrically neutral meson having a mass 6,060 times that of the electron and a mean lifetime of approximately 1 X 10-20 seconds. The observation of this unusually long lifetime, in 1974, is what led to the hypothesis that other quarks existed in addition to the up, down, and strange quarks. It was the first firm experimental evidence for the charm quark and is considered to be a charm-anticharm quark pair. Also called J particle psi particle See Table at subatomic particle.