Hadron

Explanation

A hadron is a particle that is composed of quarks. Based on the number of quarks it is made up of, there are two types of hadrons. Baryon is a kind of hadron that is made up of three quarks. Well known baryons are the nucleons—protons and neutrons. A meson is the second type of hadron that is composed of one quark and one antiquark. A pi meson is an example of meson. In a hadron, the quarks are held up together by the strong interaction, which is mediated by the exchange of gluons.

How baryons are held together inside the atomic nucleus?

Baryons like protons and neutrons are held together inside the atomic nucleus by the nuclear force, which is a residual force that arises from the strong interaction. Inside the nucleus, this residual force is mediated by the exchange of pi mesons.