According to Goldstone's theorem, the breaking of this continuous symmetry results in nearly massless particles called . In QCD, these are the pions . Because quarks have a small but non-zero "current" mass, chiral symmetry is also explicitly broken, which is why pions have a small mass rather than being perfectly massless. Conclusion
The interplay between , baryons , and chiral symmetry forms the foundation of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), explaining how the visible mass of the universe arises from the strong interaction. The Role of Quarks and Baryons Quarks, Baryons and Chiral Symmetry
Chiral symmetry explains why the world around us is massive. The transition from near-massless current quarks to the heavy baryons that make up atomic nuclei is a direct consequence of the strong force's ability to break its own fundamental symmetries. According to Goldstone's theorem, the breaking of this
). While the Higgs mechanism gives quarks their current mass, this accounts for only about of a baryon's total mass. The remaining Conclusion The interplay between , baryons , and