Z boson
A massive, electrically neutral elementary particle (mass ~91 GeV/c²) that mediates neutral-current weak interactions. The Z boson is the heaviest standard force carrier and is involved in processes like neutrino scattering. Like the W boson, it is an exchange particle with a short range due to its large mass.
Real World
The Z boson was first directly observed in 1983 at CERN by Carlo Rubbia's team using the Super Proton Synchrotron, a discovery that earned Rubbia and Simon van der Meer the 1984 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Exam Focus
Remember the Z boson is neutral and does not change particle identity — if charge or flavour changes in the interaction, it must be a W boson.
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