We show that mesons—from the π to the Υ—can be described in a unified quark model with chromodynamics. The key ingredient of the model is a universal one-gluon-exchange-plus-linear-confinement potential motivated by QCD, but it is crucial to the success of the description to take into account relativistic effects. The spectroscopic results of the model are supported by an extensive analysis of strong, electromagnetic, and weak meson couplings.

• Received 10 May 1985

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.32.189