Quark confinement is the phenomenon where quarks are perpetually bound together, never existing in isolation due to the strong force mediated by gluons. This principle is a cornerstone of quantum chromodynamics, explaining why particles like protons and neutrons are the observable manifestations of quark interactions within atomic nuclei.

Quark Confinement

Phenomenon of quark confinement

The strong force, also known as the strong nuclear force, is one of the four fundamental forces of nature and is responsible for holding the nuclei of atoms together by binding protons and neutrons. It operates at very short ranges, overcoming the electromagnetic repulsion between positively charged protons to maintain nuclear stability.

Strong Force

Gluons are elementary particles that act as the exchange particles for the strong force between quarks, which are the building blocks of protons and neutrons. They are massless, carry a color charge, and are responsible for binding quarks together to form hadrons, such as protons and neutrons, in atomic nuclei.

Gluons

Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) is the theory that describes the strong interaction, one of the four fundamental forces, which binds quarks together to form protons, neutrons, and other hadrons. It is a part of the Standard Model of particle physics and explains how the exchange of gluons, the force carriers, gives rise to the properties of nuclear matter.

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