How Do Weak and Strong Interactions Function in the Atomic World?

[Gan_HOPE326]

I hope this is the right section for this topic...
I'm not a student of physics, I actually study engineering, and there's something I've been wondering for a while. I know - more or less - inside and out two of the four "forces" of the universe: gravity and electromagnetism. However, since I never studied nuclear physics or such stuff, I ignore completely how the weak ant strong atomic interactions work. I know they're responsible of nuclear reactions, that weak interaction keeps an atom's nucleus together while the strong one is holding quarks into protons and neutrons, but that's all. I tried to wiki them, but looks like describing how this interactions work implies a lot of difficult math I don't know. So, could please someone explain to me their functioning in a simple way? If such a way exists, of course...

 

[Valerie Park]

Yes, this is the right section for this topic. It is certainly possible to explain the weak and strong nuclear interactions in a simple way. The weak nuclear interaction is responsible for certain types of radioactive decay. It is mediated by the exchange of particles called W and Z bosons. These particles interact with quarks in a nucleus, allowing them to change type, which can cause a nucleus to become unstable and decay. The weak nuclear force also has a very small effect on the structure of the nucleus, but it is much weaker than the strong nuclear force.The strong nuclear interaction is what holds together the protons and neutrons that make up the nucleus. It is mediated by the exchange of particles called gluons. The strong nuclear force is incredibly strong and acts on a very small scale. It is responsible for binding the quarks together inside the protons and neutrons, and also for keeping the protons and neutrons close together in the nucleus. Hope this helps!

 

[sir-pinski]

Yes, this is the right section for this topic! The weak and strong interactions are two of the four fundamental forces in the universe, along with gravity and electromagnetism. While gravity and electromagnetism are more familiar to us in our daily lives, the weak and strong interactions play crucial roles in the atomic and subatomic world.

The weak interaction is responsible for radioactive decay, which is the process by which unstable atoms break down and release energy. This interaction is also involved in the fusion reactions that power the sun and other stars. It is called "weak" because it is the weakest of the four fundamental forces, meaning it has the least amount of influence on particles.

The strong interaction, on the other hand, is the strongest of the four forces and is responsible for holding the nucleus of an atom together. This is because the nucleus is made up of positively charged protons, which repel each other due to their like charges. The strong interaction overcomes this repulsion and keeps the nucleus stable. It is also responsible for holding quarks together to form protons and neutrons, the building blocks of the nucleus.

The functioning of these interactions can be explained using the concept of force carriers. Just like how photons are the force carriers for electromagnetism, the weak interaction is mediated by particles called W and Z bosons, while the strong interaction is mediated by particles called gluons. These force carriers act as messengers, transmitting the force between particles.

In summary, the weak and strong interactions play crucial roles in the atomic and subatomic world, and their functioning can be understood through the concept of force carriers. While there is no simple way to explain the intricacies of these interactions without delving into complex math, I hope this explanation helps in understanding their basic functions.