Which fundamental force has the shortest effective range in nature?

The weak nuclear force acts only over extremely tiny distances, far shorter than the range of the electromagnetic or strong nuclear force. It is responsible for processes such as beta decay, which helped establish modern particle physics. The force is carried by the heavy W and Z bosons, whose large masses limit how far the force can reach. Although it is short-ranged, the weak force is essential in the Sun, where it helps drive the nuclear reactions that produce energy. It is one of the key interactions in the Standard Model of particle physics.