Question

Give the ratio of the strength of the four fundamental forces in nature.

Answer 1

Hint: In our day to day life experience, force is needed to push, carry or throw objects, deform, or break them. We also experience the impact of force on us, like when a moving object hit us. Other than these there are several forces like muscular force, the contact force between bodies, friction, and so on. Force is a derived quantity. There are four fundamental forces in nature.

Complete step by step answer:
Four fundamental forces are:
1. Gravitational force
2. Electromagnetic force
3. Weak nuclear force
4. Strong nuclear force.
Gravitational force:
(i) These forces are a long-range force that is infinite.
(ii) The force of attraction between two bodies is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
(iii) It is the weakest force among all others.
Electromagnetic force:
(i) Like gravitational force, it also acts over long rage that is infinity.
(ii) When charges are at rest, the force between them is given by coulomb’s law.
(iii) This force is attractive as well as repulsive in nature.
(iv) Since electric and magnetic effects are linked to each other, the name given is the electromagnetic force. It is stronger than gravitational force and weak nuclear force, but less strong than the strong nuclear force.
Weak nuclear force:
(i) This force appears only in certain nuclear processes such as beta decay of a nucleus.
(ii) In beta decay, the nucleus emits an electron and an uncharged particle called the neutrino.
(iii) The weak nuclear force is not as weak as the gravitational force, but much weaker than the strong nuclear force and electromagnetic force.
Strong nuclear force:
(i) This force binds the protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
(ii) It is always attractive.
(iii) It is a short-range force, of the order of ${10^{ - 15}}m$
(iv) It is the strongest force in nature.
By observing its characteristics, we can compare its relative strength in the ratio of:
Strong nuclear force: electromagnetic force: weak nuclear force: gravitational force$ = 1:{10^{ - 2}}:{10^{ - 13}}:{10^{ - 39}}$
This is decreasing order of their relative strength.

$\therefore $ The ratio of the strength of the four fundamental forces in nature is
Strong nuclear force: electromagnetic force: weak nuclear force: gravitational force$ = 1:{10^{ - 2}}:{10^{ - 13}}:{10^{ - 39}}$.

Note:
- The gravitational force is the force of mutual attraction between any two objects which has mass.
- The electromagnetic force is the force between charged particles.
- The strong force of attraction existing between the nucleons forming the nucleus of an atom is called the nuclear force.