Fundamental Forces of Nature
Question
The known forces of nature can be divided into four classes, viz., gravity, electromagnetism, weak nuclear force and strong nuclear force. With reference to them, which one of the following statements is not correct?
Options
Gravity is the strongest of the four
Electromagnetism acts only on particles with an electric charge
Weak nuclear force causes radioactivity
Strong nuclear force holds protons and neutrons inside the nucleus of an atom
Explanation
Statement (a) is incorrect. Gravity is NOT the strongest of the four forces - in fact, it is the weakest. The strong nuclear force is the strongest, followed by electromagnetism, then the weak nuclear force, with gravity being the weakest. This is a fundamental principle in particle physics. Statement (b) is correct - electromagnetism acts on electrically charged particles. Statement (c) is correct - the weak nuclear force is responsible for beta decay and radioactivity. Statement (d) is correct - the strong nuclear force binds nucleons together. > The strength order of fundamental forces is: Strong > Electromagnetic > Weak > Gravity. Gravity is the weakest force, not the strongest. Answer: (a).
Question details
Year
2013
Paper
GS Paper 1
Question
Q95
Subject
Science & Technology
Sub-topic
Physics - Fundamental Forces
Type
Factual single
Difficulty
Hard
Nature
Static
Source hint
Physics - Nuclear and Particle Physics
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