QCD, show that a Quark and an anti-quark of the same colour attract

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a question related to quantum chromodynamics (QCD), specifically focusing on the interaction between a quark and an anti-quark of the same color. The original poster seeks to understand how to demonstrate that these particles attract each other, referencing Feynman rules and generator matrices of SU(3).

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the analogy to electromagnetism and the role of Feynman rules in determining interaction forces. Questions arise regarding how to interpret the sign of the interaction and the implications of color charge in the context of quark-antiquark pairs.

Discussion Status

Some participants have offered insights into the nature of color charge and the behavior of mesons, suggesting that the attraction between quarks and anti-quarks is a fundamental aspect of their interactions. However, there is no explicit consensus on the method to demonstrate this attraction.

Contextual Notes

The original poster notes that the question is derived from a past paper for revision purposes, indicating a focus on understanding rather than immediate problem-solving. There is an acknowledgment of the complexity involved in applying Feynman rules to this scenario.

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This isn't really a homework question but it's from a past paper for revision. It is a short question so it shouldn't require lengthy mathematics. It asks you to show that a quark and an anti-quark of the same colour will attract.



The problem gives the 8 generator matrices of SU(3) and the Feynman rule for the exchange of a single gluon: [itex]ig_sT^a \gamma ^\mu[/itex]



I'm not really sure how to find the force between them. To my understanding the Feynman rules give the probabilities of certain exchanges occurring, I don't know how this would be used to show the direction of the force between the quarks.

Thank you for your time :)
 
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One way to do this is to recall that, for electromagnetism, the Coulomb law arises by computing the Fourier transform of the momentum-space amplitude for single photon exchange. Attraction and repulsion are deduced from the sign of the interaction. By analogy, here we want the amplitude for single gluon exchange.
 
Anti quarks have both opposite electrical charge and colour charge. So a positive red up quarks' antiparticle will be a negative anti-red(cyan) anti-up quark. A boson pair of quarks (a meson) consists of a quark and its corrisponding antiquark. The fact that these mesons annihilate so quickly is proof that they are attracted to each other. Also the fact that opposite charges will attract and quarks are only found where the colour charges produce a 'white' charge. So they have to attract other wise these mesons would not exist and then decay so quickly!
 
Ah okay, thanks for the responses guys (:
 

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