What Causes the Normal Reaction Force Balancing Weight (mg)?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the nature of the normal reaction force that balances the weight of an object (mg) when it is in contact with a surface. Participants explore various explanations, including electromagnetic interactions and the fundamental properties of charge.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that the normal reaction force arises from electromagnetic repulsion between electrons on the surfaces of the objects in contact.
  • Others question the concept of charge and its conventions, seeking clarification on why electrons are considered negatively charged and protons positively charged.
  • One participant explains that the measurement of the electron's charge as -1.6*10^(-19) is rooted in historical conventions related to the flow of positive charges in electricity.
  • Another participant suggests that the normal force can also be viewed as a gravitational force acting on the body, challenging the electromagnetic explanation.
  • There are inquiries about the fundamental nature of charge, including why like charges repel and unlike charges attract.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views regarding the nature of the normal reaction force and the concept of charge, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express uncertainty about the definitions and properties of charge, as well as the historical context of measuring charge, which may affect their understanding of the normal reaction force.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those exploring the fundamentals of electromagnetism, the nature of forces, and the historical development of concepts in physics.

johncena
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The weight (mg) is balanced by the normal reaction acting on the body.
But What is the reason for this force(normal reaction)?
 
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The nature of the normal reaction force is electromagnetic repulsion.
The electrons on the surfaces repel each other, hence giving rise to the normal reaction force. In the absence of this force, the body, due to gravity, will fall through the object originally 'supporting' it.
 
Could you explain more about the electromagnetic repulsion?
Actually i didn't get the concept of charge.what is charge?Why does an electron possesses negative charge and proton possesses positive charge?Is that a convention?
 
Basically its just electronic repulsion between the electrons, which carry the same charge.

Charge is a certain property found to exist in matter. It gives rise to and interacts with the electromagnetic force. There are two types of charges which we denote as positive and negative. Electrons and protons possesses opposite charges. Yes, it is conventional that we give the proton the positive charge and the electron the negative charge.
 
Fightfish said:
Yes, it is conventional that we give the proton the positive charge and the electron the negative charge.

Then how did we measure the charge on the electron as -1.6*10^(-19) ?
 
This goes back to the old days before electrons were known to exist. Prior to that, electricity was already a known and studied phenomenon. Current was then taken to be the flow of positive charges. This unfortunately left no choice but to relegate the electron to possessing a negative charge - it is actually electrons flowing in the opposite direction that constitute a positive current/voltage.
 
that normal reaction u r talking about is gravitational force acting on the body
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http://www.learner.org/catalog/extras/muprevbk/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mechanical_Universe

This course, of half hour lectures, will answer your questions on how we measure the charge of the electron (and how it was done), what magnetic repulsion is and about a billion more questions you wouldn't even think to ask. Life-changing experience.

Btw, the normal force is a consequence of the interaction of two bodies caused by an external force. In other words, gravity pulls you down as you sit on your chair & if the chair/ground wasn't there you'd keep falling down until you hit the center of the earth. The normal force is an equal but opposite force. It's interesting when you do free-body diagrams of inclined planes etc... to see how this stuff changes and how it's all calculatable and understandable.
Why you're repelled by the ground/chair etc... is due to magnetice interactions as stated above.
 
Why like charges repel and unlike charges attract each other ?
 
  • #10


I think this is a step in the right direction to understanding the question you're asking.
 
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