What is the range of the weak interaction?
The weak interaction operates over distances smaller than the diameter of a proton. This range extends only to about 0.1 femtometers, or 10^-18 meters.
Questions about Weak interaction
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who proposed the first theory of the weak interaction in 1933?
Enrico Fermi proposed the first theory of this interaction in 1933. His model described beta decay as a four-fermion contact force with no spatial range.
When was the existence of W and Z bosons confirmed experimentally?
The existence of W and Z bosons remained unconfirmed until 1983. The trio received the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work in 1979.
How does the weak interaction violate parity symmetry?
Chien Shiung Wu confirmed their hypothesis in 1957 through experiments on cobalt atoms. Her results showed that the weak interaction does not respect parity symmetry.
What particles mediate the weak interaction?
Three types of these carriers exist: W plus, W minus, and Z bosons. Their masses exceed that of a single proton by roughly ninety times.