This thesis examines the Z box contribution to the weak charge of the proton. Here, by combining recent parity-violating electron-deuteron scattering data with our current understanding of parton distribution functions, the author shows that one can limit this model dependence. The resulting construction is a robust model of the and Z structure functions that can also be used to study a variety of low-energy phenomena. Two such cases are discussed in this work, namely, the nucleon s electromagnetic polarizabilities and quark-hadron duality.

By using phenomenological information to...