Editing Weak interaction (section)

{{short description|Interaction between subatomic particles and one of the four known fundamental interactions}}
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[[File:Beta-minus Decay.svg|thumb|The radioactive [[beta decay]] is due to the weak interaction, which transforms a neutron into a proton, an electron, and an [[electron neutrino|electron antineutrino]].]]

{{Standard model of particle physics}}

In [[nuclear physics]] and [[particle physics]], the '''weak interaction''', '''weak force''' or the '''weak nuclear force''', is one of the four known [[fundamental interaction]]s, with the others being [[electromagnetism]], the [[strong interaction]], and [[gravitation]]. It is the mechanism of interaction between [[subatomic particles]] that is responsible for the [[radioactive decay]] of atoms: The weak interaction participates in [[nuclear fission]] and [[nuclear fusion]]. The theory describing its behaviour and effects is sometimes called '''quantum flavordynamics''' ('''QFD'''); however, the term QFD is rarely used, because the weak force is better understood by [[Electroweak interaction|electroweak theory]] (EWT).<ref name="griffiths">{{cite book |last=Griffiths |first=David |year=2009 |title=Introduction to Elementary Particles |isbn=978-3-527-40601-2 |pages=59–60|publisher=Wiley }}</ref>

The effective range of the weak force is limited to subatomic distances and is less than the diameter of a proton.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Schwinger |first=Julian |date=1957-11-01 |title=A theory of the fundamental interactions |journal=Annals of Physics |language=en |volume=2 |issue=5 |pages=407–434 |doi=10.1016/0003-4916(57)90015-5 |bibcode=1957AnPhy...2..407S |issn=0003-4916  |url=https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0003-4916%2857%2990015-5|url-access=subscription }}</ref>