1
$\begingroup$

I know there are antiquarks with anticolor charges. Are there also antiquarks that instead carry color charges?

Basically, which of these lists describes the types of quarks that there are:

List one:

  • +2/3 with color charge
  • +1/3 with anticolor charge
  • -1/3 with color charge
  • -2/3 with anticolor charge

List two:

  • +2/3 with color charge
  • +2/3 with anticolor charge
  • +1/3 with color charge
  • +1/3 with anticolor charge
  • -1/3 with color charge
  • -1/3 with anticolor charge
  • -2/3 with color charge
  • -2/3 with anticolor charge
Improve this question
$\endgroup$
6
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Yes, antiquarks have anti-colour charges. Gluons have both colour and anti-colour charge. Spin is important. $\endgroup$
    – naturallyInconsistent
    Commented Feb 25 at 20:01
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ relevant answer to this question physics.stackexchange.com/q/770489 $\endgroup$
    – anna v
    Commented Feb 25 at 20:38
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Quarks and antiquarks also have opposite weak isospin, and opposite baryon number, and probably other quantum numbers that I’m not remembering. $\endgroup$
    – Ghoster
    Commented Feb 25 at 21:17
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ Then your question is very different from what is written. You should edit the question to make it clear that you are asking this instead of that. $\endgroup$
    – naturallyInconsistent
    Commented Feb 25 at 21:20
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ List one is correct. As Wikipedia states, “Every quark carries a color, while every antiquark carries an anticolor.” If quarks could also carry anticolor, and vice versa, this would have been mentioned, because otherwise the quotes statement would be highly misleading. $\endgroup$
    – Ghoster
    Commented Feb 26 at 4:29

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1
$\begingroup$

Antiquarks always carry anti-color charges, not the RGB color charges associated with quarks. Therefore, list one is correct:

  • Quarks have RGB color charges with electric charges of +2/3 or -1/3.
  • Antiquarks have anti-RGB (anti-red, anti-green, anti-blue) color charges with electric charges of -2/3 or +1/3.

No antiquarks carry the RGB color charges of quarks; they are distinct in carrying anti-color charges. This ensures particles are color-neutral!

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.