fermions
/ˈfɜːrmɪənz/ · fer·mi·ons
noun
- Any elementary or composite particle that has half‑integer spin and obeys Fermi–Dirac statistics, such as a baryon, lepton, or quark. The electron is a fermion that follows the Pauli exclusion principle.
- Any composite particle composed of fermions, such as a proton or neutron. A proton, composed of three quarks, is also a fermion.
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Did you know? The term "fermion" was coined by Enrico Fermi in 1933 to honor his pioneering work on quantum statistics, and it has since become a staple term in particle physics.
Read the full encyclopedia articleNerddpedia has an in-depth article about fermions