How does electroweak theory connect the electromagnetic and weak forces?

Electroweak theory describes the electromagnetic force and the weak force as two different manifestations of a single, unified interaction. Although these forces appear distinct—with the electromagnetic force having an infinite range and the weak force being confined to subatomic distances—they are mathematically linked through a gauge theory that requires a specific underlying symmetry.123

The unification is achieved by treating both forces as being mediated by carrier particles. While the electromagnetic force is carried by the massless photon, the weak force is mediated by massive W particles and Z particles. The theory explains this mass difference through the Higgs mechanism: an interaction with the Higgs field that permeates space "breaks" the underlying symmetry, giving mass to the weak force carriers while leaving the photon massless. This framework, developed by Sheldon Glashow, Abdus Salam, and Steven Weinberg, is a cornerstone of the Standard Model of particle physics.12435