How Do Forces Between Protons and Electrons Compare in Physics?

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    Coulomb's law Law
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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around comparing the forces between protons and electrons, specifically focusing on electrostatic and gravitational forces. The original poster poses questions about how these forces exerted by one particle on the other compare.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the nature of the forces involved, questioning how the electrostatic force between protons and electrons compares in both directions. There are inquiries about the implications of Newton's third law and whether the forces remain constant due to the properties of the particles involved.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided insights referencing Newton's third law and the consistency of the forces due to the properties of the particles. There is an ongoing exploration of the relationships between the forces, with multiple interpretations being discussed.

Contextual Notes

Participants are considering the implications of charge and mass in the context of the forces, as well as the relevance of specific equations in answering the posed questions. There is an acknowledgment of the need for clarity on the nature of gravitational versus electrostatic forces.

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Homework Statement


How does …
(a) the electrostatic force exerted by a proton on an electron compare to the electrostatic force exerted by an electron on a proton?
(b) the gravitational force exerted by a proton on an electron compare to the gravitational force exerted by an electron on a proton?


Homework Equations


F = kq1q2 / r2


The Attempt at a Solution


Will the opposites attract when their is electrostatic force?
And repel when there is a gravitational force
 
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Newton's 3rd Law is all you need.

And repel when there is a gravitational force
Gravity acts on Mass, not electric charge.
 
How would the electrostatic force compare from a proton on a electron to vice- versa?
 
Does the electrostatic force stay the same because the charge of the proton and electron are the same as well as the coulomb constant and radius?
 
F=\frac{q_1q_2}{4\pi\epsilon_0r^2} is the magnitude of the force. Will that change?
q_1q_2=q_2q_1 since they are scalars. But you don't even need that equation to answer the question (your teacher might want you to compute it anyway, but it is unnecessary to answer the question). The answer comes from Newton's third law.
 
Does the electrostatic force stay the same because the charge of the proton and electron are the same as well as the coulomb constant and radius?

Yes. Those are the same. All that changes is which particle is being acted upon.
 

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