Color

Definition

Color is a property of quarks that dictates their strong interactions via gluons. Unlike the everyday meaning of color, it refers to a type of charge in quantum chromodynamics (QCD).

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Quarks come in three 'colors': red, green, and blue.
2. Gluons are the force carriers for the strong interaction and also carry color charge.
3. Color confinement ensures that quarks are never found in isolation but always in color-neutral combinations such as baryons or mesons.
4. The strong force between quarks increases with distance due to color charge, unlike other forces which decrease with distance.
5. Color charge conservation is fundamental in particle interactions involving the strong force.

Review Questions

• What are the three possible colors for quarks?
• How does color confinement affect the observation of individual quarks?
• Why do gluons play a crucial role in maintaining the strong interaction between quarks?

Related terms

Quark:

A fundamental particle that makes up protons and neutrons, coming in six flavors: up, down, charm, strange, top, and bottom.

Gluon:

The exchange particles (force carriers) for the strong interaction between quarks, responsible for holding atomic nuclei together.

Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD): The theory describing the strong interaction between quarks and gluons through their color charges.