Which force is mediated by gluons?
Quick Answer
The strong nuclear force is mediated by gluons. Gluons carry the color charge that binds quarks together.
The Full Story
Gluons are the force carriers of quantum chromodynamics, the theory of the strong interaction. They bind quarks inside protons, neutrons and other hadrons, and unlike photons they themselves carry the charge of the force they transmit. This self-interaction is one reason the strong force behaves so differently from electromagnetism. At ordinary scales, quarks are confined and cannot be isolated as free particles. The discovery and study of gluons were central to the development of the Standard Model.
Key Facts
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"The force carriers that can also feel the force themselves."
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