A pedagogical approach to hadron structure with the MIT bag model
Abstract
Abstract The description of nuclear force at low energies is generically challenging, which makes it hard to teach in a transparent manner even at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In particular, the topic of the origin of proton mass is often handled heuristically. In this work, we discuss a pedagogical approach to understand the fundamental origin of proton mass and the vacuum state of quantum chromodynamics within the intuitive picture of the MIT bag model. We also provide two comparisons, with the stability of a star and a particle in a one-dimensional well, which favors the intuitive understanding of the problem.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Quantum Chromodynamics and Particle Interactions
Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies
Nuclear physics research studies
Publication details
- Journal / source
- European Journal of Physics
- Volume
- 47
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 025403–025403
- Publication date
- 10 February 2026
- Language
- EN