Gluons, which are the particles responsible for mediating the strong nuclear force, do not have a fixed energy level. The energy of a gluon is not determined solely by the generation of the quarks it interacts with. Instead, the energy of gluons depends on the specific process or interaction they are involved in.
In quantum chromodynamics (QCD), the theory that describes the strong nuclear force, gluons interact with quarks and other gluons through a self-interaction. This self-interaction causes gluons to carry energy themselves. In high-energy processes, such as those occurring in particle colliders like the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), gluons can carry a significant amount of energy.
When gluons interact with quarks, their energy is distributed among the participating particles. The energy distribution depends on the specific kinematics and dynamics of the interaction. In general, the energy carried by gluons can be shared among different particles involved in the interaction, including quarks of different generations.
It is important to note that in particle physics experiments, higher-generation quarks (charm, strange, top, and bottom) are typically produced with higher energies compared to the lighter quarks (up and down). Therefore, when higher-generation quarks are involved in an interaction, the energy of the gluons accompanying them is often higher due to the overall higher energy scale of the process.
In summary, the energy of gluons is not fixed but depends on the specific process and the kinematics of the interaction. While gluons can carry significant energy, the precise energy distribution depends on the dynamics of the interaction and the specific quarks involved.