Gravitational Force: Examining Effects of Distance on Charge

[LNCO]

Homework Statement

What would happen if the size of the electrostatic force acting between two positively charged objects was exactly the same as that of the gravitational force acting between them? What would happen if they were moved closer together or further apart?

 

[Bloodthunder]

You probably mean strength of force. In that case, the 2 forces will cancel each other out at that distance between them and they will stay in equilibrium. However, as electrostatic force is much stronger (in term of trillion times or something) than gravitational force, any disturbance would cause them to fly violently apart.

 

[kerimek]

I would approach this question by first stating that the electrostatic force and gravitational force are two distinct fundamental forces in nature. The electrostatic force is caused by the attraction or repulsion of electric charges, while the gravitational force is caused by the mass of objects.

If the size of the electrostatic force were exactly the same as the gravitational force between two positively charged objects, it would mean that the objects have equal mass and charge. This scenario is not physically possible as the mass and charge of objects are independent of each other. However, if we assume this hypothetical situation, the objects would experience equal and opposite forces, resulting in a state of equilibrium.

Moving the objects closer together would increase the strength of both the electrostatic and gravitational forces, causing them to attract each other more strongly. On the other hand, moving the objects further apart would decrease the strength of both forces, resulting in weaker attraction between them.

It is important to note that the effect of distance on the electrostatic force is much stronger compared to the gravitational force. This is because the electrostatic force follows the inverse square law, meaning that it decreases rapidly as the distance between charged objects increases. In contrast, the gravitational force follows the inverse square law, meaning that it decreases much slower with distance.

Overall, the scenario of equal electrostatic and gravitational forces is not possible in our physical world. However, understanding the effects of distance on these forces can help us better understand the interactions between charged and massive objects in nature.