Net Effect of Z Boson on Charged Particles

[Dmitry67]

I was always wondering, on very short distances/high energies, what is a net effect of having not one (gamma) but two (gamma and Z) 'carriers' for the 'force' between 2 charged particles. Does it make an interaction sronger or not?

 

[Bill_K]

In principle, sure, but only at very close range. The 90 GeV mass of the Z corresponds to a distance of about 10^-16 cm. By the time you got two electrons that close together, you'd be swamped with other kinds of fireworks.