In the probabilistic world of quantum mechanics, the other fundamental forces—strong nuclear force, weak nuclear force, and electromagnetic force—are described through quantum field theories. These theories successfully incorporate the probabilistic nature of particle parameters and locations, allowing for a consistent description of the behavior of these forces at the quantum level.
Quantum field theories treat particles as excitations of underlying fields that permeate spacetime. These fields are quantized, meaning they can have discrete, quantized energy levels. The behavior of particles and their interactions are then described through the interactions of these fields.
For example, the electromagnetic force is described by quantum electrodynamics (QED), which is a quantum field theory that combines quantum mechanics with electromagnetism. In QED, the electromagnetic force is mediated by particles called photons, which are excitations of the electromagnetic field. Photons interact with charged particles, such as electrons, through quantum processes that involve probability amplitudes.
Similarly, the strong nuclear force, responsible for binding protons and neutrons within atomic nuclei, is described by quantum chromodynamics (QCD). QCD involves the interactions of particles called quarks and gluons, which are also excitations of underlying quantum fields. The strong force is mediated by gluons, and the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics is crucial in describing the behavior of quarks and gluons within this theory.
The weak nuclear force, responsible for certain types of radioactive decays, is described by the electroweak theory, which unifies the electromagnetic force and the weak force. The electroweak theory incorporates probabilistic descriptions of particles and their interactions, allowing for consistent calculations and predictions.
So, in the probabilistic world of quantum mechanics, the behavior of the other fundamental forces is successfully described by quantum field theories. These theories provide a framework for understanding the probabilistic nature of particle parameters, locations, and interactions, and they have been extensively tested and validated by experimental observations.