Quark interactions and colour chemistry

The interaction between quarks, according to the current theory of quantum chromodynamics, is similar to the electromagnetic interaction between electrons and nucleons, both being governed by locally gauge-invariant field theories. It is tempting therefore to discuss the spectroscopy of hadrons, which are quark composites bound by colour forces, in the same language as the spectroscopy of atoms and molecules which are bound states of electrons and nucleons held together by e.m. forces. Because of the difference in gauge groups, however, the dynamics are very different. Nonetheless, it appears likely that metastable multiquark hadron states can exist which are analogous to atoms and molecules in QED. In these lectures, tentative steps are taken in developing the rudiments of a new colour chemistry' of these 'atoms' and 'molecules'. (author)