Weak interaction

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In nuclear physics and particle physics, the weak interaction, weak force or weak nuclear force, is one of the four known fundamental interactions, with the others being electromagnetism, the strong interaction, and gravitation. It is the mechanism of interaction between subatomic particles that is responsible for the radioactive beta decay of atoms: The weak interaction participates in nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. The theory describing its behaviour and effects is sometimes called quantum flavourdynamics or electroweak theory. The effective range of the weak force is limited to subatomic distances and is less than the diameter of a proton. First suggested in 1933, the theory behind the weak force reached its current form in the 1950s and 1960s. The force has three carriers, the W+, W−, and Z bosons, which were not discovered until 1983.

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