W and Z bosons are fundamental particles that mediate the weak nuclear force, one of the four fundamental forces in nature. The W boson comes in two varieties, W+ and W-, which are responsible for processes like beta decay in atomic nuclei. These particles are essential for explaining how particles interact and change types. The Z boson, on the other hand, is electrically neutral and facilitates interactions between particles without changing their types. Together, W and Z bosons play a crucial role in the Standard Model of particle physics, helping to describe how subatomic particles interact and form the universe's matter.