Välittäjäbosoni

Välittäjäbosoni, or mediator bosons, are fundamental particles in quantum field theory that mediate the fundamental forces between other particles. They are a type of boson, characterized by integer spin. These particles are not observed directly in the same way as matter particles like electrons or quarks; instead, their existence is inferred through their interactions and their role in force transmission. The properties of the mediating boson are directly linked to the nature of the force it carries.

For instance, the electromagnetic force is mediated by photons, which are massless and have spin 1. The strong nuclear force, responsible for binding quarks together within protons and neutrons and for holding atomic nuclei together, is mediated by gluons. Gluons are also massless and have spin 1, but they carry a property called "color charge," which distinguishes them from photons. The weak nuclear force, involved in radioactive decay, is mediated by the W and Z bosons. These particles are massive and have spin 1. Finally, the hypothetical graviton is proposed as the mediator of the gravitational force, though it has not yet been experimentally confirmed. Gravitons are predicted to be massless and have spin 2. The exchange of these välittäjäbosoni particles is the mechanism by which forces are exerted between fundamental particles.