What is the weak nuclear force?
Quick Answer
The weak nuclear force is one of the four fundamental forces and is responsible for certain kinds of particle decay, including beta decay. It acts over a very short range inside atomic nuclei.
The Full Story
The weak nuclear force is a fundamental interaction that changes one type of subatomic particle into another, such as a neutron turning into a proton. It is best known for causing beta decay, a process first explained in the 1930s and linked to neutrinos by Enrico Fermi’s theory. The force is carried by the W and Z bosons, which were experimentally confirmed at CERN in 1983. Unlike gravity or electromagnetism, the weak force works only over distances far smaller than an atomic nucleus.
Key Facts
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Suggested video title for this topic:
"The force that makes atoms change identity"