Fundamental Forces: Explaining to a 13yo

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between everyday forces such as friction, gravity, and electromagnetic forces, and the four fundamental forces of nature. Participants aim to explain these concepts in a way that is accessible to a 13-year-old, exploring both theoretical and conceptual aspects.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that normal, static, and kinetic friction are derived from electromagnetic forces, specifically the repulsion of electrons around atoms.
  • Gravity is identified as a fundamental force, with some participants referring to it as a weak gravitational force acting between celestial bodies.
  • Others categorize forces like friction and normal force as electromagnetic forces, while also noting their relationship to gravity.
  • There is mention of the strong nuclear force acting between protons and neutrons in atomic nuclei, and the weak nuclear force being involved in radioactive decay processes.
  • A participant emphasizes that the normal force experienced by an object can vary significantly depending on the gravitational context, such as on Earth versus in space.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the categorization of forces under the four fundamental forces, but there are variations in how they describe the relationships and implications of these forces, indicating some disagreement or lack of consensus on specific details.

Contextual Notes

Some statements rely on assumptions about the definitions of forces and their interactions, which may not be universally accepted. The discussion does not resolve the complexities of these relationships or the nuances of force categorization.

omega-centauri
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How are the normal, static friction, kinetic friction, gravity, electrical and magnetic forces related to the four fundamental forces of nature? I have a 13 year old asking and I am not sure what to say! Any help is kindly appreciated.
 
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Welcome to PF!

There are four fundamental forces:
-Gravity
-Electromagnetism
-Strong nuclear force
-Weak nuclear force.

You named two and the others you listed are derived from those two. Ie, friction (or any force from objects touching each other) comes from the electromagnetic force of repulsion of the electrons around atoms.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/forces/funfor.html
 
omega-centauri said:
How are the normal, static friction, kinetic friction, gravity, electrical and magnetic forces related to the four fundamental forces of nature? I have a 13 year old asking and I am not sure what to say! Any help is kindly appreciated.

" normal, static friction, kinetic friction, electrical and magnetic forces" - electromagnetic interaction/forces

"gravity" - gravitational interaction/forces.

zz.
 
Any force like u have mentioned comes under one of the four fundamental forces of nature .
The force can be categorized Depending on the objects responsible in generating the force .
Understanding the forces in simple terms ...
The force that acts between two celestial bodies like planets,stars is considered to be the fundamental weak gravitational force.
Like this the force that acts in the nucleus between two elementary particles (protons,neutrons) is strong nuclear force.
The forces like friction ,normal force ,centrifugal force,centripetal force...etc are forces which acts in different daily life situations are treated as electromagnetic forces.
The fourth fundamental force weak nuclear force is observed in nuclear radioactive decay processes.
 
Thanks so much for everyone's help!
 
Vphysics2013 said:
Any force like u have mentioned comes under one of the four fundamental forces of nature .
The force can be categorized Depending on the objects responsible in generating the force .
Understanding the forces in simple terms ...
The force that acts between two celestial bodies like planets,stars is considered to be the fundamental weak gravitational force.
Like this the force that acts in the nucleus between two elementary particles (protons,neutrons) is strong nuclear force.
The forces like friction ,normal force ,centrifugal force,centripetal force...etc are forces which acts in different daily life situations are treated as electromagnetic forces.
The fourth fundamental force weak nuclear force is observed in nuclear radioactive decay processes.
Just to add to this, while normal forces and friction forces are electromagnetic forces, they are related to gravity, which is a fundamental force. The normal force of the table on a box will be much greater on Earth than in space. So the friction forces (static and kinetic) will be as well.

AM
 

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