Ratio of Electric Force to Gravitational force

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
5 replies · 52K views
Winzer
Messages
597
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


It is known that the electric force of repulsion between two protons is much stronger than their gravitational attraction. For two protons a distance R apart, calculate the ratio of the magnitude of the repulsion to that of the attraction.

Homework Equations


[tex]F_{g}=\frac{Gm_{1}m_{2}}{r^2}[/tex]
[tex]F_{e}=\frac{Kq_{1}q_{2}}{r^2}[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution


So the ratio [tex]\frac{F_{e}}{F_{g}}[/tex] =[tex]\frac{Kq^2}{Gm^2}[/tex]
I get 1.3E28 which is wrong. Why?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
The equation is right. Hard to tell where you are going wrong with putting the numbers in.
 
K=9.0E9
G=6.67E-11
Mass of proton aprox. 1.672E-27
Charge of a proton 1.602E-19
Right?
 
Fine. But looking at your number, I think you are forgetting to square the masses and charges.
 
I get 1.2355E36. So I disagree with who or whatever is telling you it's wrong.