What holds atoms together, gravity or an electromagnetic force?
Boomer
2011-04-20 05:25:23 UTC
Currently science believes three quarks form a proton and three quarks form a neutron--the nuclei of an atom. But what force is behind the formation of protons and neutrons? What keeps an electron orbiting around the nuclei of an atom? Is it gravity or a electromagnetic force?
Please provide credible links, if you can, to back up your answer.
Six answers:
busterwasmycat
2011-04-20 05:39:59 UTC
gravity is a trivial force over the scale and mass of an atom. The nucleus is held together by the strong force, and the individual constituents (electrons, protons, neutrons) are formed from smaller matter pulled together by the weak force.
Electrons stay in the atom, in the area surrounding the nucleus, by electromagnetism (as an aside, the protons in the nucleaus try to repel each other by this same force but are held in place by the strong force; the strong force exceeds the em repulsion within a window of nuclear configurations).
atoms form into molecules almost exclusively from em forces.
Mass on the large scale attracts due to gravity.
I found this which may help (I didn't go into it into detail so you check it out and see if it is suitable for your needs):
this is an atomic bond which holds atoms jointly to sort molecules.Atomic bonds may be covalent, ionic, and quite a number of alternative hybrid types. even nonetheless, the actually rigidity which reasons the bond to sort is the electromagnetic rigidity. There are 4 forces: Electromagnetic, good Nuclear, vulnerable Nuclear, and Gravity. Atomic bonds are a by utilizing-fabricated from the electromagnetic rigidity.
kumorifox
2011-04-20 05:28:44 UTC
It is neither of these. The force binding quarks together is the strong force. It is an elementary force mediated by gluons.
Mike1942f
2011-04-20 05:30:00 UTC
Actually the strong and weak nuclear forces - EM and Gravity are something else
start here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weak_interaction
Roger S
2011-04-20 05:28:34 UTC
Neither. I think it is the weak nuclear force. There are 5 forces in physics. Gravity, electricity, magnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces.
anonymous
2011-04-20 09:04:23 UTC
This is a reason of gravity. Arrow B
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN1jTwHUC7E
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