ScienceAugust 16, 2026
chromodynamics
kro-muh-dy-NA-miks
Definition
The branch of particle physics that describes the strong interaction between quarks and gluons, which binds them together to form protons and neutrons.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek word 'chroma' (color), reflecting the 'color charge' property that quarks possess, combined with the word 'dynamics' to describe the physical forces at work.
In the news
In the article, it is mentioned as the governing theory of the strong force that dictates the complex behavior of the sea of gluons and quarks inside a proton. This theory is essential for understanding why baryon number might be stored in the gluonic structure rather than just the quarks.
Proton collisions hint that gluons, not quarks, carry baryon number
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