Vector boson Vector boson In particle physics, a vector boson is a boson with the spin equal to 1. The vector bosons regarded as elementary particles in the Standard Model are the gauge bosons, the force carriers of fundamental interactions: the photon of electromagnetism, the W and Z bosons of the weak interaction, and the gluons of the strong interaction. Some composite particles are vector bosons, for instance any vector meson (quark and antiquark). During the 1970s and 1980s, intermediate vector bosons—vector bosons of "intermediate" mass (a mass between the two of the vector mesons)—drew much attention in particle physics. The Z
Elementary charge known elementary particles, including quarks, have charges that are integer multiples of "e". Therefore, one can say that the "quantum of charge" is "e". In this case, one says that the "elementary charge" is three times as large as the "quantum of charge". On the other hand, all "isolatable" particles have charges that are integer multiples of "e". (Quarks cannot be isolated: they only exist in collective states like protons that have total charges that are integer multiples of "e".) Therefore, one can say that the "quantum of charge" is "e", with the proviso that quarks are not to be