A baryon is a subatomic particle that is composed of three quarks, which are elementary particles that make up protons and neutrons.
A charge refers to the electrical property of a particle. Baryons can have positive, negative, or neutral charges depending on the combination of quarks they are made of.
The charge of a baryon is determined by the sum of the charges of its three quarks. The up quark has a charge of +2/3, the down quark has a charge of -1/3, and the strange quark has a charge of -1/3.
No, a baryon cannot have a fractional charge because quarks always have integer charges. The fractional charges of quarks are only apparent when they combine to form particles with charges that are multiples of 1/3.
The charge of a baryon is important because it determines how the particle interacts with other particles and electromagnetic fields. It also plays a role in the formation of atoms and the stability of matter.