What are the universal forces?
There are four fundamental forces. They are sometimes called universal
forces. They are the strong nuclear force, the electromagnetic force, the
weak nuclear force, and the gravitational force. The strong nuclear is
the strongest force and gravity is weakest. The strong force acts over a
short distance while gravity acts over a really large distance.
Scientists have been trying to combine all the forces into one force. James Maxwell was able to
combine the electrical and the magnetic forces into the electromagnetic
force. Scientists have combined the electromagnetic and the weak force
into the electroweak force but haven't been able to combine any of the
other forces yet.
| Name | Relative Strength |
Range (meters) |
Particle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong | 1 | 2x10-15 | Gluon |
| Electromagnetic | 10-3 | infinity | Photon |
| Weak | 10-16 | 10-18 | Boson |
| Graviational | 10-41 | infinity | Graviton |
(October 16, 1997)
Last modified prior to September, 2000 by the Windows Team
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