Weak Interactive Force: Mesons & Bosons

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Discussion Overview

The discussion focuses on the weak interactive force, specifically its interactions with various particles, including mesons and bosons. Participants explore the nature of this force and its implications for different particle types, including leptons and quarks.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that the weak interactive force acts on leptons (electron, muon, tau, and neutrinos) and quarks, thus affecting all particles built from quarks, including hadrons like baryons and mesons.
  • Others propose that the weak force mediates interactions through W and Z bosons, which are themselves involved in the weak interaction.
  • One participant claims that the weak force couples to photons and gravity, suggesting a broader interaction scope, but excludes gluons.
  • Another participant highlights the distinction between charged and neutral weak current interactions, noting that the W-boson couples to left-handed chirality eigenstates while the Z-boson couples to both chirality eigenstates with varying strengths.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the scope of the weak interactive force, particularly regarding its coupling to photons and gravity, as well as the specifics of chirality in weak interactions. No consensus is reached on these points.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved aspects regarding the definitions of particle interactions and the implications of chirality in weak interactions. The discussion also reflects varying interpretations of the weak force's coupling to different particle types.

Xtreme
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What exactly does the weak interactive force act on?
Does it act on Mesons and Bosons?
 
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It acts on leptons (electron, muon, tau, and neutrinos) and quarks, and therefore on all particles built out of quarks (hadrons, which includes baryons and mesons). And the W and Z bosons which themselves mediate the weak interaction.

To put it another way, everything except photons, gluons and (if they exist) gravitons.
 
jtbell said:
To put it another way, everything except photons, gluons and (if they exist) gravitons.

It couples to photons and gravity as well. So everything except gluons.
 
One should also point out that the charged weak current interaction (W-boson) just couples to particles in the left-handed chirality eigenstate whereas the neutral weak current interaction (Z-boson) couples to both chirality eigenstates but in general with different strength, depending on the particle.
 

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