Final answer:
The W+, W−, and Z0 bosons are the carriers of the weak force due to their mass, which results in the weak force's short range. Massless particles like gluons and photons mediate forces with infinite range, such as the strong force and electromagnetism, not the weak force. b) No, as massless particles can mediate weak force interactions is correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The W+, W−, and Z0 particles are indeed the carriers of the weak force. Unlike gluons and photons, which are massless and mediate the strong and electromagnetic forces respectively, the W and Z bosons have mass. Their relatively large mass compared to the massless gluons and photons is closely related to the short range of the weak force.
The existence of massless particles does not imply that they can carry the weak force; in fact, massless particles tend to mediate forces with infinite range, such as electromagnetism and gravity, which is theorized to be mediated by the hypothetical massless graviton.
The correct answer to the question is b) No, as massless particles can mediate weak force interactions. The weak force is mediated by the massive W and Z bosons, resulting in a very short range.
It's also important to note the unification of the weak and electromagnetic forces at high energy levels, which is a part of the electroweak theory, and the ongoing search for the Higgs boson, which was predicted to give mass to these particles.