Which fundamental force is the weakest among the four known fundamenta...
The four fundamental forces of nature, also known as the basic forces, are essential for our understanding of the physical universe. They include:
- Strong Nuclear Force: This is the most powerful force among the four and is responsible for holding the nuclei of atoms together. It works at a very small scale, typically at the size of atomic nuclei.
- Electromagnetic Force: This is the force that acts between charged particles. It's responsible for the structure of atoms and molecules, light, electricity and magnetism.
- Weak Nuclear Force: This force is responsible for certain types of radioactive decay. It's weaker than the strong nuclear force and electromagnetic force but stronger than gravity.
- Gravitational Force: This is the force of attraction that exists between any two masses, any two bodies, any two particles. It is mathematically described as: F = G *(m1*m2) / r2, where F is the force of attraction between the masses, G is the gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are the two masses, and r is the distance between the centers of the two masses.
Among these four fundamental forces, gravity is technically the weakest. It may not seem like it, since gravity is the force we most obviously experience in our daily lives, but in fact it is a very weak force. For example, the electromagnetic force between electrons and protons in an atom is much stronger than the gravitational pull on the atom by the entire Earth. This is why gravity only becomes noticeable in systems with very large masses - like planets, stars, galaxies, etc.
Which fundamental force is the weakest among the four known fundamenta...
Gravitational Force is the Weakest Fundamental Force
The gravitational force is the weakest among the four known fundamental forces in nature. This can be explained by considering the strength of the force between two objects of standard mass and distance apart, compared to the other forces.
Comparison with other forces:
- Strong Nuclear Force: This force is the strongest among the four fundamental forces and is responsible for holding the nucleus of an atom together. It is much stronger than the gravitational force.
- Electromagnetic Force: The electromagnetic force is stronger than the gravitational force and is responsible for interactions between charged particles.
- Weak Nuclear Force: The weak nuclear force is stronger than gravity but weaker than the other two forces. It is responsible for processes like beta decay in nuclear physics.
Explanation:
The gravitational force is weak compared to the other forces because it has a very small coupling constant, which determines the strength of the force in relation to the other fundamental forces. In the context of particle physics, where interactions occur at the subatomic level, the gravitational force is negligible compared to the strong and electromagnetic forces.
In cosmological scales, such as the interactions between planets and stars, the gravitational force becomes more dominant due to the accumulation of mass. However, at the particle level, where the other forces are at play, gravity is considered the weakest fundamental force.
To make sure you are not studying endlessly, EduRev has designed UPSC study material, with Structured Courses, Videos, & Test Series. Plus get personalized analysis, doubt solving and improvement plans to achieve a great score in UPSC.