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fundamental force comparison table
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electromagnetisminfinitephoton1 (relative to electromagnetism) The phenomena associated with electrical and magnetic forces. Electrical and magnetic forces are intimately related, since a changing electric field produces a magnetic field, and vice versa. Electromagnetic waves are an example of electromagnetism.
electroweak vector boson(relative to electromagnetism)weak forceResponsible for certain kinds of radioactivity; for example, the disintegration of a neutron into a proton, electron, and antineutrino.
gravityinfinitegraviton(relative to electromagnetism) In Aristotelian physics, an innate tendency of the elements earth and water to fall. In Newtonian physics, the universal, mutual, attraction of all massive objects for one another; its force is directly proportional to the mass of each object, and decreases by the square of the distance separating the objects involved.
  • In Einstein's general relativity, gravity is viewed as a consequence of the curvature of space induced by the presence of a massive object. In quantum mechanics the gravitational field is said to be conveyed by quanta called gravitons.
  • strong force gluon(relative to electromagnetism)nuclear forceFundamental force of nature that binds quarks together, and holds nucleons (which are comprised of quarks) together as the nuclei of atoms. Portrayed in quantum chromodynamics as conveyed by quanta called gluons.

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