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Gauge bosons
Intermediate
Photon, W, Z and gluon carry forces.
Force carriers: photon (EM), W⁺, W⁻, Z⁰ (weak, ~80–91 GeV), gluons (strong), and the hypothetical graviton. Exchange explains forces.
W and Z discovered at CERN in 1983.
Massless photons give infinite range.
In more detail
Gauge bosons are force-carrying particles, including the photon, the W and Z bosons, and the gluons. Each mediates one of the fundamental interactions.
Real-world uses
- Photons carry electromagnetic forces and light.
- The W and Z bosons mediate the weak interaction in radioactive decay.
- The photon carries the electromagnetic force, while the W and Z bosons carry the weak force that drives radioactivity.
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Frequently asked questions
Why are they called gauge bosons?
Because their interactions follow from gauge symmetries in the theory.
Which gauge boson is massless?
The photon and the gluons are massless.
Why do gauge bosons have different masses?
The photon and gluon are massless, but the W and Z acquire mass through the Higgs mechanism.
Related topics in Particle Physics & Cosmology
Quarks · Hadrons · Antimatter · Higgs boson · Standard Model · Colour charge and QCD