Yes, four fundamental forces are responsible for making the Universe what it is and these forces are enabling YOU to READ this right now.
Here they are (strongest =1, weakest=4):
1.Strong nuclear force
2. Electromagnetic force
3. Weak nuclear force
4. Gravity
Gravity is the weakest and the weakest by far - planet Earth is pulling everything around you down towards it, got a pen? Pick it up!! Gravity isn't so strong is it! However, the Suns gravity keeps Earth in orbit around it so it must be formidable! What if I told you that Gravity is both the creator and the destroyer? If Gravity is all about attraction, then why doesn't everything just come together instead of spread apart all over the Universe? The answer - it's too weak to overcome the other forces - atleast for now.
Here is aquick break-down of the strength differences. I've given Gravity no rating but instead the numbers reflect how much stronger the other forces are compared to gravity. the number in brackets is how many zeros after 10 there are.
1.Strong nuclear force 10(-38)
2. Electromagnetic force 10(-36)
3. Weak nuclear force 10(-25)
4. Gravity
Let's begin with the strong nuclear force - this is CRUCIAL and without it - no other force would exist. If you've read my post on the ATOM then you will know that the atomic nucleus contains protons and neutrons. Well the reason that they are BOUND together in the nucleus is due to the STRONG NUCLEAR FORCE. The strong nuclear force binds together the QUARKS inside the protons and neutrons (remember NUCLEAR FUSION) Each of the forces has a MESSENGER PARTICLE which basically represents the presence of the force, it is also known as a MEDIATOR (think MEDIUM - in-between). the MESSENGER for the strong nuclear force is the GLUON (easy to remember as GLUE).
Here's a pic:
This is a PROTON! You can see that the "wavey lines" are the GLUONS.
There is a second part to the STRONG NUCLEAR FORCE which I wanted to write about and that is the RESIDUAL STRONG NUCLEAR FORCE - the strength is the same but the MESSENGER PARTICLE is not. The messenger particle is the PION and the PION is responsible for binding the PROTONS and NEUTRONS together inside the ATOMIC NUCLEUS. This force stops the protons and neutrons from pulling apart from each other. PIONS are generated when the protons and neutrons try to move apart.
LASTLY, what is very important to understand is the RANGE of the force and by this I mean what is the distance at which this force can work. How close of a RANGE does the force need to work and can the RANGE be vast. The atomic nucleus and the distance between the QUARKS is majorly small (the diameter of a proton is 10-15 m and the the distance between a proton and a neutron is the SAME. The strong nuclear force only works at a very very very small range.
THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCE:
This force is responsible for HOLDING the ELECTRONS within the SHELLS surrounding the ATOMIC NUCLEUS. It attracts the NEGATIVELY charged electronstowards the POSITIVELY charged nucleus. The particle that MEDIATES the force is the PHOTON - the lovely particle that is MASSLESS (it weighs NOTHING) and gives us LIGHT. PHOTONS can be absorbed and emitted by electrons. The range of the ELCTROMAGNETIC FORCE is INFINITE! Yes,there is no limit as to which this force can work.This is down to the MASSLESS of the photon. Example: a photon can leave the Sun and travel 93 million miles to Earth and be absorbed by you then re-emitted by you and absorbed by an atom of the wall of your living-room.
I could say lots of other things about the electromagnetic force! It's what holds atoms together into molecules or crystals. It holds molecules together into cells, and holds cells together into people or plants or pasta. It keeps two solid objects, such as you and the chair you're sitting on, from passing through each other, and so on!
THE WEAK NUCLEAR FORCE:
To be continued later today!
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