Strong force, quarks, hadrons.

In summary, The Lightness of Being by Frank Wilczek explores the concept of the strong force and its effects on particles such as quarks and hadrons. The strong force, also known as the nuclear force, falls off rapidly with distance but becomes significantly stronger when trying to separate two quarks. This suggests that the strong force only acts between groups of quarks, called hadrons. Additionally, the book discusses the five fundamental forces in nature, including the strong force, which is similar to the Van Der Waals force in molecules.
  • #1
PeterPumpkin
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I'm reading The Lightness of Being by Frank Wilczek.

The strong force falls off rapidly with distance. And yet when we attempt to separate two quarks the force increases enormously.

I assumed the strong force acted between hadrons (= groups of quarks) and between quarks but this assumption seems inconsistent with the change of force with distance.

EG Does this mean that the strong force acts only between hadrons ie groups of quarks?
 
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  • #2
There's two separate issues here, the interaction between quarks and the interaction between hadrons. The interaction between quarks is called the 'color force' and only acts between particles that have color, namely quarks and gluons. It results from virtual exchange of gluons. This is the force that gets stronger with increasing distance.

The interaction between hadrons is called the strong force or nuclear force. It results from virtual exchange of other hadrons. Its range is dictated by the mass of the lightest hadron, the pion, at 135 MeV, equivalent to about 1.4 fermis.
 
  • #3
Thanks. That would seem to imply there really are 5 fundamental forces in nature: Gravity, em, weak, strong force and the "colour force".
 
  • #4
PeterPumpkin said:
Thanks. That would seem to imply there really are 5 fundamental forces in nature: Gravity, em, weak, strong force and the "colour force".

The strong force that acts between nucleons (or hadrons) is similar to the Van Der Waals force between atoms in molecules. Both are a result of an actual force and are not real forces in themselves. (Electromagnetic force for VDW, color for strong force.)
 

1. What is the strong force?

The strong force is one of the four fundamental forces of nature, along with gravity, electromagnetism, and weak force. It is responsible for binding quarks together to form protons and neutrons, and for holding the nucleus of an atom together.

2. What are quarks?

Quarks are elementary particles that make up protons and neutrons, which are the building blocks of atomic nuclei. They are also the fundamental particles that make up hadrons, such as protons, neutrons, and mesons.

3. How are quarks held together?

The strong force is responsible for holding quarks together. It is mediated by particles called gluons, which carry the strong force between quarks. This force is very strong, but it only acts over very short distances.

4. What are hadrons?

Hadrons are composite particles made up of quarks held together by the strong force. They are divided into two main categories: baryons, which are made up of three quarks, and mesons, which are made up of one quark and one antiquark.

5. How does the strong force differ from other fundamental forces?

The strong force is the strongest of the four fundamental forces, but it has a very short range. Unlike the other forces, it only acts on particles that have a property called "color charge", which is carried by quarks. Additionally, the strong force does not decrease with distance like the other forces, but instead increases with distance until it reaches a certain point and then decreases rapidly.

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