Kaons

A Kaon or K-meson can be positively charged, negatively charged or neutral. It has a rest mass greater than a pion but less than a proton.

K⁺ K^- K⁰

K-mesons can be produced by the strong interaction between pions and protons.

π^-  + p  →  K⁰   +  Λ⁰

Kaons are produced through the strong interaction.Kaons decay through the weak interaction.Kaons are called strange particles because they are produced by the strong interaction but decay by the weak interaction, so they last much longer than expected. They contain a strange quark or antiquark.Kaons can decay into pions

K⁰   →   π⁺   + π^-

K⁰   →   π⁰   + π⁰

K⁺   →   π⁺   + π⁰

K⁺   →   π⁺   +   π⁺  + π^-

K⁺   →   π⁰   + e⁺   + ν_e

K^-   →   π^-   + π⁰

Kaons can decay into a muon and antineutrino

K^-   →   μ^-   + anti-ν_μ

or kaons can decay into an anti-muon and neutrino

K⁺   →   μ⁺   + ν_μ