Given the spatial overlap of nucleon wave functions within the nucleus, why is the bonding of nucleons only the result of pion exchange and not of gluon interactions between quarks in different nucleons?
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1$\begingroup$ The reason lies here hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Forces/exchg.html . it ois not simple, has to do with quantum mechanics and the range of the colored force, among other stuff. $\endgroup$– anna vCommented Sep 27, 2023 at 13:47
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1$\begingroup$ There's glue in the exchange pions too. $\endgroup$– Buzz ♦Commented Sep 27, 2023 at 17:16
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1$\begingroup$ Gluons can be exchanged between color singlets. $\endgroup$– SolidificationCommented Nov 19, 2023 at 13:29
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$\begingroup$ Thank you for all the answers $\endgroup$– Paul WeinrebCommented Nov 20, 2023 at 17:11
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1 Answer
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Long-range nucleon-nucleon interactions are dominated by pion exchange, but at short enough distances the quark-gluon structure of the nucleons is important.
As shown in this plot from Wikipedia, one-pion exchange dominates for nucleon-nucleon separation more than a couple of fermis. As the nucleons get closer, two-pion and heavier meson exchanges become important, until at distances less than a fermi, the nucleons repel each other because of the net effect of quark and gluon exchange, vector meson exchange, and the Pauli exclusion principle, but the details are not yet completely understood.
answered Sep 27, 2023 at 16:22