They are gravitational, weak nuclear, electromagnetic and strong nuclear forces. Each one of them acts in a unique way, but they all form a type of mechanism of interaction between particles, and are responsible for governing the Universe as we know it… For now. In August 2016, physicists from the Hungarian Academy of Science discovered evidence to prove the existence of a fifth fundamental force, which would explain the origins of dark matter, which forms 96% of the space Universe. But, until further study confirms it, everything we know remains governed by the four forces detailed below.
– (Pedro D’apremont/)
1) STRONG
As the name suggests, it is the strongest interaction of the four. It connects, for example, quarks, particles responsible for the formation of protons and neutrons. To create them, she links a red quark to a green and a blue one by gluons (exchange particles), resulting in a white combination.
2) WEAK
It is responsible for radioactive decay processes. If it did not exist, the fusion of hydrogen in the Sun’s core, which forms deuterium, would not take place, and our star would go out. Its intensity is less than that of the electromagnetic and strong forces, but it is greater than the gravitational, leaving it in the middle of the table.
3) ELECTROMAGNETIC
For a long time, this interaction was approached as two forces: the electric and the magnetic. However, in 1864, they discovered that they act together and decided to merge them into the electromagnetic force. It is capable of linking atoms and molecules together to form matter. With intensity greater than gravitational, its field of action is given in smaller dimensions
4) GRAVITATIONAL
It is the weakest of the four, but has infinite range. This means that it acts universally in all matter and energy, being responsible for everything from the drop of a pin to the orbit of the planets. Some physicists question its classification as a “fundamental force”. For them, it would only receive this title if the existence of gravitons, particles whose function is to mediate the interaction of bodies with mass, was proven, but they have not yet been observed.
Reader Question – Magno Israel Ricarte Cavalcanti, Mossoró, RN
CONSULTANCY Dilson de Jesus Damião, professor at the Institute of Physics at UERJ / SOURCES UFRGS and Space.com