Weak Nuclear Force: Driving Radioactive Decay

The weak nuclear force is one of the four fundamental forces of nature.
It’s responsible for radioactive decay, such as beta decay.
This force can turn a neutron into a proton, or vice versa.
The weak force works through heavy particles called W and Z bosons.
Though “weak,” it is stronger than gravity at the subatomic level.
It changes the flavor of quarks, reshaping one particle into another.
Without it, the Sun couldn’t shine—fusion depends on the weak force.
The weak force helps create the elements that fuel stars and life.
It acts only across tiny distances, smaller than a proton.
Studying the weak force reveals why matter dominates over antimatter.