View Full Version : Gravity/electromagnetism relationship
spacefire5458
Aug 3, 2007, 01:30 PM
How is gravity related to electromagnetism I know that the equation for gravity and coulomb's law are basically the same but how can they be related when the strength of the forces are so dramatically different? :confused:
Capuchin
Aug 3, 2007, 01:45 PM
Electromagnetism and gravity have not been linked together. Their formula are similar because they are both inverse square relationships, not because of any physical similarity.
spacefire5458
Aug 3, 2007, 01:55 PM
Do you think that there would ever be a possibility that they would ever be linked together?:D
Capuchin
Aug 3, 2007, 01:56 PM
The hope is to link all of the fundamental forces into a single theory, but that's a long way off yet, if it's even possible :)
The electromagnetic and weak force have already been linked in electroweak theory.
Electroweak interaction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroweak_theory)
Gravity looks like it will be the hardest one to incorporate.
spacefire5458
Aug 3, 2007, 02:12 PM
Does the strong force have the inverse square relationship?:)
Capuchin
Aug 3, 2007, 02:18 PM
Nope, it goes as \frac{1}{r^7} so it dies off VERY fast as you move further away. It is only really felt between nucleons.
spacefire5458
Aug 3, 2007, 02:22 PM
:) :) While gravity and electromagnetism is 1/R^2 and the strong force is 1/R^7 is that right cause if it is that was a huge help!!
Capuchin
Aug 3, 2007, 02:35 PM
I'm not totally sure that's right, but the strong force is negligible at few femtometers radius.
spacefire5458
Aug 3, 2007, 02:49 PM
:) Newton's law of universal gravitation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton%27s_law_of_universal_gravitation)
it says Gm1m2/r^2 and coulomb's law is Kc q1q2/R^2 so if the strong force is 1/r^7 as it says on wikipedia then doesn't that mean if the particles get just a little bit away that the force gets much smaller. So even though at short distances it is strong because of 1/r^7 and the other forces are stronger at large distances because the force is not being divided by r^7 only r^2 is that right I think I'am confusing myself.
Capuchin
Aug 3, 2007, 04:16 PM
That's right, the strong force is incredibly strong at short range, but gets weak very quickly.