What is the reason for weak force?

In summary, the weak isospin and weak hypercharge are two properties of elementary particles that are responsible for the weak force. They correspond to the U(1) and SU(2) symmetries of the Standard Model, respectively, and are hidden symmetries that are spontaneously broken by the Higgs field. This results in the weak force and the electromagnetic force. While these properties are not as well-known as other properties, they play a crucial role in understanding the behavior of particles and their interactions.
  • #1
abi.ayan
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what property of elementary particles is reason for weak interaction? what I mean is as color charge is reason for strong force ,as electric charge is reason for EM force and as mass is reason for gravitational force what is reason for weak force?
 
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  • #2
There are two properties, actually--one is called weak hypercharge, and the other is called weak isospin. They correspond to the U(1) and SU(2) symmetries of the Standard Model, respectively. The reason you don't hear about them as much is that they are related in a rather complicated way to the electric charge, and also to the chiral (non-parity-conserving) aspects of the Standard Model, so it's not as easy to say that a specific particle has a specific isospin/hypercharge number. But they are conserved quantities, and are related to the weak force in exactly the same way as color charge relates to the strong force, and mass relates to gravity.
 
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  • #3
The expand a bit on Chopin's excellent answer:

The fundamental gauge forces weak isospin and weak hypercharge are spontaneously broken by the Higgs field, the resulting forces of this symmetry breaking are the weak force and the E-M field.

Sometimes you read that the fundamental gauge group of the Standard Model is

SU(3)xSU(2)xU(1) which is spontaneously broken by the Higgs field to SU(3)xU(1)

The SU(2)xU(1) in the fundamental gauge group is the weak isospin and the weak hypercharge. The U(1) in the spontaneously broken gauge group is not the weak hypercharge, but the E-M field. So you see after symmetry breaking of the Higgs just two gauge groups are left: the color SU(3) gauge group and the E-M gauge group. The weak force that we observe is not a force with a gauge symmetry, it is not a massless force field, but a massive one.

The fundamental gauge groups weak isospin and weak hypercharge are hidden symmetries.

But all matter interact with the weak force, and all matter except the neutrinos interact with E-M force, which follows from the way the hidden and fundmental symmetries are structured.
 

1. What is the weak force?

The weak force is one of the four fundamental forces of nature, along with gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong force. It is responsible for radioactive decay and plays a crucial role in the fusion reactions that power the sun and other stars.

2. How does the weak force differ from the other fundamental forces?

The weak force is unique in that it is the only force that can change the flavor of a subatomic particle, meaning it can transform a particle into a different type of particle. The other fundamental forces do not have this ability.

3. What is the reason for the weak force being so weak compared to the other forces?

The weak force is indeed much weaker than the other fundamental forces, such as electromagnetism. This is because the particles that transmit the weak force, called W and Z bosons, have a relatively large mass. According to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, the shorter the range of a force, the larger its carrier particle's mass, resulting in a weaker force.

4. How does the weak force play a role in particle interactions?

The weak force is crucial in interactions between particles that involve the exchange of W and Z bosons. These interactions can lead to the decay of particles or the transformation of one type of particle into another. The weak force also plays a role in nuclear reactions, such as fusion and fission.

5. How do scientists study and understand the weak force?

Scientists use particle accelerators, such as the Large Hadron Collider, to study the weak force. By colliding particles at high energies, they can observe the effects of the weak force and gather data to further understand its properties and interactions. Theoretical models, such as the Standard Model, also help explain the behavior of the weak force and its role in the universe.

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