A baryon is a type of subatomic particle that is made up of three quarks. Baryons are part of the larger family of particles known as hadrons, which are influenced by the strong nuclear force. Common examples of baryons include protons and neutrons, which are the building blocks of atomic nuclei. Baryons have a half-integer spin, making them fermions, and they obey the Pauli exclusion principle. This principle states that no two identical fermions can occupy the same quantum state simultaneously. Baryons play a crucial role in the structure of matter and the universe, influencing the behavior of atoms and the formation of stars and galaxies.