Why is it that it's the gravitational force that keeps me on the ground?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the question of why gravitational force is responsible for keeping individuals grounded, as opposed to electrical force, despite the latter being stronger in certain contexts. The scope includes conceptual exploration of forces, their interactions, and the nature of matter.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that while electrical force is generally stronger than gravitational force, it does not apply in the same way to macroscopic objects like humans due to their mass and charge properties.
  • One participant argues that the electrical forces are balanced, suggesting that the net electrical charge of Earth and humans results in no significant electrical force acting between them.
  • Another participant emphasizes that while electromagnetic forces prevent objects from passing through each other, the lack of net charge in humans means there is no long-distance electrical force acting to keep them grounded.
  • Several participants acknowledge the strength of electrical forces at the level of elementary particles but highlight the difference in behavior when considering larger, neutral objects.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the role of electrical forces versus gravitational forces, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives on the topic.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include assumptions about charge neutrality and the specific conditions under which gravitational and electrical forces operate, as well as the implications of mass versus charge in the context of force interactions.

shseo0315
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Why is it that it's the gravitational force that keeps me on the ground?

Rather than the electrical force?

In general, and by the equation, electrical force is much stronger than the gravitational force!
 
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Electrical force are balanced. In other words, the summation of electrical charges on Earth should be zero, so there is no forces. You are made of atoms, which are have 0 electrical charge, and the Earth is made of atoms too, so no force in between.
 
shseo0315 said:
In general, and by the equation, electrical force is much stronger than the gravitational force!
Between a pair of charged elementary particles--like an electron or proton--the electrical force is much stronger than the gravitational force. But you are not a charged particle--you have a huge mass (compared to either of those) and essentially zero charge.
 
Well, electromagnetic force keeps you from falling THROUGH the ground but since you have no net charge, there is no basis for a long distance force.

[edit] ...quick draw fail!
 
Last edited:
russ_watters said:
...quick draw fail!
:smile:
 
Thank you folks!
 

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