fermion
/ˈfɛrmiˌɑn/
noun
- A type of subatomic particle (such as an electron, proton, or neutron) that follows Fermi-Dirac statistics and obeys the Pauli exclusion principle, meaning no two fermions can occupy the same quantum state.
- Electrons are fermions, which is why they arrange themselves in different energy levels around an atom.
- Protons and neutrons are also fermions, and they make up the nucleus of an atom.
- In particle physics, fermions are the building blocks of matter, unlike bosons which carry forces.
Antonyms