nucleon
nounUK /ˈnjuːkliɒn/
US /ˈnuːkliɑːn/
A nucleon is a tiny particle inside the center of an atom.
The nucleus of an atom is made of nucleons.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A proton or neutron considered as a building block of the atomic nucleus.
Each nucleon carries nearly the whole mass of the atom.
3. A particle that feels the strong nuclear force.
Physicists study how nucleons bind together in heavy nuclei.
4. In nuclear physics, a collective term for the two stable baryons found in nuclei.
The model treats the nucleon as a composite of three quarks.