The elemental forces of the Universe

Monday, August 26, 2013

THE ELEMENTAL FORCES OF THE UNIVERSE

At the temperatures common to our world, four discrete forces govern the interactions of matter - gravity, electromagnetism, the weak nuclear force, and the strong nuclear force. Though these four forces govern every matter interaction, a theory that unites them all is still being sought. The most recent candidate is string theory.

In order from strongest to weakest:

1. Strong Nuclear Force: Operates on extremely small nuclear scales, responsible for keeping the quarks in protons and neutrons together.

(Holds atoms together)

2. Electromagnetic Force: No chemical bonds could form if it were different.

(Electricity, magnetism, light)

3. Weak Nuclear Force: responsible for radioactive decay in particles, as well as certain interactions between particles. Operates on small nuclear scale.

(Radioactive decay)

4. Gravity is the weakest force in the universe, yet it is in perfect balance. Law of gravity: All masses are found to attract one another with a force that varies inversely as the square of the separation distance between the masses. (Makes matter attract each other)

Messenger Particles

Each force is carried by a separate "messenger particle" unique to it and still being researched. Experiments have confirmed the existence of three of the four particles, but the graviton has yet to be discovered. Calculations show that it should be massless.

Force

Particle

Mass

Gravitational Force

Graviton

0

Electromagnetic Force

Photon

0

Weak Nuclear Force

Weak Gauge Bosons

86, 97

Strong Nuclear Force

Gluon

0

Scientists speak about the Perfect Order of the Universe.

It is of interest that, in spite of the delicate internal ratio balance within each of the four forces (gravitation, electromagnetism, and the weak and strong forces), those four forces have strengths

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