Color conservation in gluon fragmentation

In summary, when a gluon fragments into a quark-antiquark pair, color is conserved through the exchange of color charge with other objects in the hadron. This can be represented in Feynman diagrams by replacing gluons with double lines representing the exchange of color and anti-color charges.
  • #1
Manojg
47
0
Hi,

When a gluon fragments to a quark anti-quark pair (c c_bar for an example), how is color conserved? Gluon is colored but c c_bar pair is colorless.

Thanks.
 
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  • #2
Gluons carry both a color and an anticolor. A gluon that was red anti-green for example could fragment into a red quark and a green antiquark.
 
  • #3
Bill_K said:
Gluons carry both a color and an anticolor. A gluon that was red anti-green for example could fragment into a red quark and a green antiquark.

which, since they have different color/anticolor does not form a color neutral state.
 
  • #4
When the q-qbar pair fragments to hadrons, there will be a color connection to the other colored objects in the hadron that contained the original gluon.
 
  • #5
Bill_K said:
Gluons carry both a color and an anticolor. A gluon that was red anti-green for example could fragment into a red quark and a green antiquark.

Yes, but we are taking about quark and its own anti-quark like c and c_bar. If c is red, c_bar must be anti-red.
 
  • #6
Vanadium 50 said:
When the q-qbar pair fragments to hadrons, there will be a color connection to the other colored objects in the hadron that contained the original gluon.

Fine, but at every vetex, color (and other like charge) should be conserved, isn't it? So, at vertex where gluon fragments to c and c_bar, color should be conserved.
 
  • #7
Manojg said:
Yes, but we are taking about quark and its own anti-quark like c and c_bar. If c is red, c_bar must be anti-red.


No, if the gluon splits up into a red c, the c_bar cannot be anti-red; as far as I understand.
 
  • #8
Yes, but you are starting with a colored state, ignoring the rest of the hadron that gave you the gluon. It's that rest of the hadron that solves your problem. You can't ignore it.
 
  • #9
There is a nice way to represent gluons and color charge conservation in QCD processes.

In a Feynman diagram replace every gluon with a double line, i.e. two antiparallel lines running into opposite direction and carrying a color charge and an anti-color charge, respectively.

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ahep/2010/floats/723105/thumbnails/723105.fig.002_th.jpg
 

1. What is color conservation in gluon fragmentation?

Color conservation in gluon fragmentation refers to the principle that the total color charge must remain constant during the process of a gluon splitting into multiple quarks. This is a fundamental concept in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) which governs the strong nuclear force.

2. Why is color conservation important in gluon fragmentation?

Color conservation is important in gluon fragmentation because it ensures that the strong interaction remains consistent with the laws of quantum mechanics. Without color conservation, the calculations and predictions of QCD would not be accurate.

3. How is color conservation achieved in gluon fragmentation?

Color conservation is achieved in gluon fragmentation through the exchange of color charges between the parent gluon and the resulting quarks. The total color charge of the parent gluon is divided among the resulting quarks, ensuring that the overall charge remains constant.

4. What role does the strong force play in color conservation?

The strong force is responsible for binding quarks together to form hadrons, such as protons and neutrons. This force is also responsible for the exchange of color charges between quarks and gluons, which maintains color conservation in gluon fragmentation.

5. How does color conservation impact particle physics research?

Color conservation is a fundamental principle in particle physics and plays a crucial role in understanding the behavior and properties of subatomic particles. Research in this area helps to further our understanding of the strong force and the fundamental laws of nature.

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