Three reaction rows show baryon number being kept, lost, and canceled by antimatter.

Three rows show when baryon number is kept, lost, or canceled. Exact arithmetic here means exact results for the stated model inputs; measured inputs still carry uncertainty and significant-figure limits.

highlighted = computed this step

Keeping a proton keeps baryon number

Baryon ledger starts at 3 and ends at 3; accepted bit is 1.

3→3,a=13\to3,\quad a=1
Particle ledger rowInput and output particle ledgers feed one conservation check.protonprotonphotonQ3=3B3=3Le=0Lmu=0Q3=3B3=3Le=0Lmu=0Q3=0B3=0Le=0Lmu=0accepted

Replacing a proton loses baryon number

Baryon ledger starts at 3 and ends at 0; accepted bit is 0.

3→0,a=03\to0,\quad a=0
Particle ledger rowInput and output particle ledgers feed one conservation check.protonpositronphotonQ3=3B3=3Le=0Lmu=0Q3=3B3=0Le=-1Lmu=0Q3=0B3=0Le=0Lmu=0rejected

Matter and antimatter can cancel baryon number

Baryon ledger starts at 0 and ends at 0; accepted bit is 1.

0→0,a=10\to0,\quad a=1
Particle ledger rowInput and output particle ledgers feed one conservation check.protonanti-protonphotonphotonQ3=3B3=3Le=0Lmu=0Q3=-3B3=-3Le=0Lmu=0Q3=0B3=0Le=0Lmu=0Q3=0B3=0Le=0Lmu=0accepted