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A fundamental interaction or fundamental force is a mechanism by which particles interact with each other, and which cannot be explained in terms of another interaction. Every observed physical phenomenon can be explained by these interactions. The apparent irreducible nature of these interactions leads physicists to study the properties of these forces in great detail. In modern physics, there are four fundamental interactions (forces): gravitation, electromagnetism, the weak interaction, and the strong interaction. Their magnitude and behavior vary greatly, as described in the table below. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...
A magnet levitating above a high-temperature superconductor demonstrates the Meissner effect. ...
Gravity redirects here. ...
Electromagnetism is the physics of the electromagnetic field: a field which exerts a force on particles that possess the property of electric charge, and is in turn affected by the presence and motion of those particles. ...
The weak interaction (often called the weak force or sometimes the weak nuclear force) is one of the four fundamental interactions of nature. ...
The strong interaction or strong force is today understood to represent the interactions between quarks and gluons as detailed by the theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). ...
The modern quantum mechanical view of the three fundamental forces (all except gravity) is that particles of matter (fermions) do not directly interact with each other, but rather carry a charge, and exchange virtual particles (gauge bosons), which are the interaction carriers or force mediators. For example, photons are the mediators of the interaction of electric charges; and gluons are the mediators of the interaction of color charges. The strong interaction or strong force is today understood to represent the interactions between quarks and gluons as detailed by the theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). ...
Quantum chromodynamics (abbreviated as QCD) is the theory of the strong interaction (color force), a fundamental force describing the interactions of the quarks and gluons found in hadrons (such as the proton, neutron or pion). ...
In particle physics, gluons are subatomic particles that cause quarks to interact, and are indirectly responsible for the binding of protons and neutrons together in atomic nuclei. ...
Electromagnetic interaction is a fundamental force of nature and is felt by charged leptons and quarks. ...
Quantum electrodynamics (QED) is a relativistic quantum field theory of electrodynamics. ...
In modern physics the photon is the elementary particle responsible for electromagnetic phenomena. ...
The weak interaction (often called the weak force or sometimes the weak nuclear force) is one of the four fundamental interactions of nature. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
In physics, the W and Z bosons are the elementary particles that mediate the weak nuclear force. ...
Gravity redirects here. ...
For a less technical and generally accessible introduction to the topic, see Introduction to general relativity. ...
This article is about the hypothetical particle. ...
Fermions, named after Enrico Fermi, are particles which form totally-antisymmetric composite quantum states. ...
In physics, a charge may refer to one of many different quantities, such as the electric charge in electromagnetism or the color charge in quantum chromodynamics. ...
In the description of the interaction between elementary particles in quantum field theory, a virtual particle is a temporary elementary particle, used to describe an intermediate stage in the interaction. ...
Gauge bosons are bosonic particles which act as carriers of the fundamental forces of Nature. ...
In physics, the photon (from Greek φως, phÅs, meaning light) is the quantum of the electromagnetic field; for instance, light. ...
Electric charge is a fundamental property of some subatomic particles, which determines their electromagnetic interactions. ...
In physics, gluons are the bosonic particles which are responsible for the strong nuclear force. ...
In quantum chromodynamics (QCD), color or color charge refers to a certain property of the subatomic particles called quarks. ...
The interactions
Gravitation -
Gravitation is by far the weakest interaction, but at long distances is the most important force. There are two reasons why gravity's strength relative to other forces becomes important at long distances. The first is that gravity has an infinite range, like that of electromagnetism. The second reason why gravity is important at long distances is because all masses are positive and therefore gravity's interaction can not be screened like in electromagnetism. Thus large bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies dominantly feel gravitational forces. In comparison, the total electric charge of these bodies is zero because half of all charges are negative. In addition, unlike the other interactions, gravity acts universally on all matter. There are no objects that lack a gravitational "charge". Gravity redirects here. ...
Because of its long range, gravity is responsible for such large-scale phenomena as the structure of galaxies, black holes and the expansion of the universe, as well as more elementary astronomical phenomena like the orbits of planets, and everyday experience: objects fall; heavy objects act as if they were glued to the ground; people are limited in how high they can jump. For other uses, see Black hole (disambiguation). ...
For other uses, see Universe (disambiguation). ...
Two bodies with a slight difference in mass orbiting around a common barycenter. ...
This article is about the astronomical term. ...
Gravitation was the first kind of interaction which was described by a mathematical theory. In ancient times, Aristotle theorized that objects of different masses fall at different rates. During the Scientific Revolution, Galileo Galilei experimentally determined that this was not the case — if friction due to air resistance is neglected, all objects accelerate toward the ground at the same rate. Isaac Newton's law of Universal Gravitation (1687) was a good approximation of the general behaviour of gravity. In 1915, Albert Einstein completed the General Theory of Relativity, a more accurate description of gravity in terms of the geometry of space-time. For other uses, see Aristotle (disambiguation). ...
This article is about the period or event in history. ...
Galileo redirects here. ...
Sir Isaac Newton FRS (4 January 1643 – 31 March 1727) [ OS: 25 December 1642 – 20 March 1727][1] was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, and alchemist. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Gravity. ...
Events March 19 - The men under explorer Robert Cavelier de La Salle murder him while searching for the mouth of the Mississippi River. ...
Year 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday[1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...
“Einstein†redirects here. ...
General relativity (GR) or general relativity theory (GRT) is the theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1915. ...
For other uses, see Geometry (disambiguation). ...
In special relativity and general relativity, time and three-dimensional space are treated together as a single four-dimensional pseudo-Riemannian manifold called spacetime. ...
An area of active research today involves merging the theories of general relativity and quantum mechanics into a more general theory of quantum gravity. It is widely believed that in a theory of quantum gravity, gravity would be mediated by a massless spin 2 particle which is known as the graviton. Gravitons are hypothetical particles not yet observed. For a less technical and generally accessible introduction to the topic, see Introduction to quantum mechanics. ...
Quantum gravity is the field of theoretical physics attempting to unify quantum mechanics, which describes three of the fundamental forces of nature, with general relativity, the theory of the fourth fundamental force: gravity. ...
This article is about the hypothetical particle. ...
Although general relativity appears to present an accurate theory of gravity in the non-quantum mechanical limit, there are a number of alternate theories of gravity. Those under any serious consideration by the physics community all reduce to general relativity in some limit, and the focus of observational work is to establish limitations on what deviations from general relativity are possible.
Electromagnetism -
Electromagnetism is the force that acts between electrically charged particles. This phenomenon includes the electrostatic force, acting between charges at rest, and the combined effect of electric and magnetic forces acting between charges moving relative to each other. Electromagnetism is the physics of the electromagnetic field: a field which exerts a force on particles that possess the property of electric charge, and is in turn affected by the presence and motion of those particles. ...
Electric charge is a fundamental conserved property of some subatomic particles, which determines their electromagnetic interaction. ...
In physics, the electrostatic force is the force arising between static (that is, non-moving) electric charges. ...
The article on electrical energy is located elsewhere. ...
In physics, magnetism is a phenomenon by which materials exert an attractive or repulsive force on other materials. ...
Electromagnetism is also an infinite-ranged force, but it is much stronger than gravity, and therefore describes almost all phenomena of our everyday experience, ranging from lasers and radios to the structure of atoms and metals to phenomena such as friction and rainbows. For other uses, see Laser (disambiguation). ...
Properties For alternative meanings see atom (disambiguation). ...
This article is about metallic materials. ...
For other uses, see Friction (disambiguation). ...
For other uses, see Rainbow (disambiguation). ...
Electrical and magnetic phenomena have been observed since ancient times, but it was only in the 1800s that scientists discovered that electricity and magnetism are two aspects of the same fundamental interaction. By 1864, Maxwell's equations had rigorously quantified the unified phenomenon. In 1905, Einstein's theory of special relativity resolved the issue of the constancy of the speed of light, and explained the photoelectric effect by theorizing that light was transmitted in quanta, which we now call photons. Starting around 1927, Paul Dirac unified quantum mechanics with the relativistic theory of electromagnetism; the theory of quantum electrodynamics was completed in the 1940s. 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...
For thermodynamic relations, see Maxwell relations. ...
For other uses, see 1905 (disambiguation). ...
For a less technical and generally accessible introduction to the topic, see Introduction to special relativity. ...
A diagram illustrating the emission of electrons from a metal plate, requiring energy gained from an incoming photon to be more than the work function of the material. ...
In modern physics the photon is the elementary particle responsible for electromagnetic phenomena. ...
Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac, OM, FRS (IPA: [dɪræk]) (August 8, 1902 – October 20, 1984) was a British theoretical physicist and a founder of the field of quantum physics. ...
Electromagnetism is the physics of the electromagnetic field: a field which exerts a force on particles that possess the property of electric charge, and is in turn affected by the presence and motion of those particles. ...
Quantum electrodynamics (QED) is a relativistic quantum field theory of electrodynamics. ...
The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949. ...
Weak interaction -
The weak interaction or weak nuclear force is responsible for some phenomena at the scale of the atomic nucleus, such as beta decay. Electromagnetism and the weak force are theoretically understood to be two aspects of a unified electroweak interaction — this realization was the first step toward the unified theory known as the Standard Model. In electroweak theory, the carriers of the weak force are massive gauge bosons called the W and Z bosons. The weak interaction is the only known interaction in which parity is not conserved; it is left-right asymmetric. It even breaks CP symmetry. However, it does conserve CPT. The weak interaction (often called the weak force or sometimes the weak nuclear force) is one of the four fundamental interactions of nature. ...
In nuclear physics, beta decay (sometimes called neutron decay) is a type of radioactive decay in which a beta particle (an electron or a positron) is emitted. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
The Standard Model of Fundamental Particles and Interactions For the Standard Model in Cryptography, see Standard Model (cryptography). ...
Gauge bosons are bosonic particles which act as carriers of the fundamental forces of Nature. ...
In physics, the W and Z bosons are the elementary particles that mediate the weak nuclear force. ...
In physics, a parity transformation (also called parity inversion) is the simultaneous flip in the sign of all spatial coordinates: A 3×3 matrix representation of P would have determinant equal to –1, and hence cannot reduce to a rotation. ...
CP-symmetry is a symmetry obtained by a combination of the C-symmetry and the P-symmetry. ...
CPT-symmetry is a fundamental symmetry of physical laws under transformations that involve the inversions of charge, parity and time simultaneously. ...
Strong interaction -
The strong interaction is the most complicated force because it takes on several different behaviors depending on the distance that is being tested. At distances larger than 10 femtometers, the strong force is incredibly weakly interacting, which is why it wasn't hypothesized to exist until the beginning of the 20th century. When protons and neutrons were discovered to be the constituents of the nucleus, it was necessary to postulate that there was an additional force that was stronger than electricity and magnetism so that the protons would be bound together in a 10-15 fraction of the volume of an atom. Hideki Yukawa postulated the existence of a particle with a mass of 100 MeV to explain this force. The pion was discovered in 1947 and ushered in the era of nuclear physics. An extremely complicated theory of the strongly interacting particles, known as hadrons, was developed. Hundreds of hadrons were discovered from the 1940s to 1960s. The strong interaction or strong force is today understood to represent the interactions between quarks and gluons as detailed by the theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). ...
The metre or meter is a measure of length. ...
Hideki Yukawa Hideki Yukawa FRSE (æ¹¯å· ç§€æ¨¹, January 23, 1907 - September 8, 1981) was a Japanese theoretical physicist and the first Japanese to win the Nobel prize. ...
In particle physics, pion (short for pi meson) is the collective name for three subatomic particles: π0, π+ and π−. Pions are the lightest mesons and play an important role in explaining low-energy properties of the strong nuclear force. ...
In particle physics, a hadron is a subatomic particle which experiences the strong nuclear force. ...
In particle physics, a hadron is a subatomic particle which experiences the strong nuclear force. ...
In 1973 David Gross, Frank Wilczek, and David Politzer proposed asymptotic freedom as the theory of the strong force and put forth quantum chromodynamics or QCD, as a force mediated by gluons that act between particles that carry "color charge", quarks and gluons. A characteristic of the strong interaction is that gluons interact with each other. David Jonathan Gross (born February 19, 1941 in Washington, D.C.) is an American particle physicist and string theorist (although hes stated to the Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo, on 09/27/2006, that the second area is included in the first one). ...
Frank Wilczek (born May 15, 1951) is a Nobel prize winning American physicist. ...
Hugh David Politzer (born 31 August 1949) is an American theoretical physicist. ...
In physics, asymptotic freedom is the property of some gauge theories in which the interaction between the particles, such as quarks, becomes arbitrarily weak at ever shorter distances, i. ...
Quantum chromodynamics (abbreviated as QCD) is the theory of the strong interaction (color force), a fundamental force describing the interactions of the quarks and gluons found in hadrons (such as the proton, neutron or pion). ...
In particle physics, gluons are subatomic particles that cause quarks to interact, and are indirectly responsible for the binding of protons and neutrons together in atomic nuclei. ...
For other uses, see Quark (disambiguation). ...
In particle physics, gluons are subatomic particles that cause quarks to interact, and are indirectly responsible for the binding of protons and neutrons together in atomic nuclei. ...
Current developments The Standard Model is a theory of three fundamental forces — electromagnetism, weak interactions and strong interactions; however, these three forces are not tied together. Howard Georgi, Sheldon Glashow and Abdus Salam discovered that the Standard Model particles can arise from a single interaction, known as a grand unified theory. Grand unified theories predict relationships between otherwise unrelated constants of nature in the Standard Model. Gauge coupling unification is the prediction from grand unified theories for the relative strengths of the electromagnetic, weak and strong forces and this prediction was verified at LEP in 1991 for supersymmetric theories. The Standard Model of Fundamental Particles and Interactions For the Standard Model in Cryptography, see Standard Model (cryptography). ...
Howard Mason Georgi III, born in 1947 in San Bernardino, California, is Harvard College Professor and Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics at Harvard University, where he is also Director of Undergraduate Studies in Physics and Master of Leverett House. ...
Professor Sheldon Lee Glashow (born December 5, 1932) is an American physicist. ...
For other uses, see Abdus Salam (disambiguation). ...
Grand unification, grand unified theory, or GUT is a theory in physics that unifies the strong interaction and electroweak interaction. ...
Grand unification, grand unified theory, or GUT is a theory in physics that unifies what are considered three fundamental gauge symmetries: hypercharge, the weak force, and quantum chromodynamics. ...
The Large Electron-Positron Collider (usually called LEP for short. ...
A Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model is a class of proposed supersymmetric extensions to the Standard Model. ...
Currently, there is no complete theory of quantum gravity. There are several candidates for a framework to fit quantum gravity, including string theory, loop quantum gravity and twistor theory. Quantum gravity is the field of theoretical physics attempting to unify quantum mechanics, which describes three of the fundamental forces of nature, with general relativity, the theory of the fourth fundamental force: gravity. ...
Interaction in the subatomic world: world lines of pointlike particles in the Standard Model or a world sheet swept up by closed strings in string theory String theory is a model of fundamental physics, whose building blocks are one-dimensional extended objects called strings, rather than the zero-dimensional point...
Loop quantum gravity (LQG), also known as loop gravity and quantum geometry, is a proposed quantum theory of spacetime which attempts to reconcile the seemingly incompatible theories of quantum mechanics and general relativity. ...
The twistor theory, originally developed by Roger Penrose in 1967, is the mathematical theory which maps the geometric objects of the four dimensional space-time (Minkowski space) into the geometric objects in the 4-dimensional complex space with the metric signature (2,2). ...
In theories beyond the Standard Model, there are frequently fifth forces and the search for these forces is an on-going line of experimental research in physics. In supersymmetric theories, there are particles that only acquire their masses through supersymmetry breaking effects and these particles, known as moduli can mediate new forces. Another possible motivation for new forces is related to the accelerating expansion of the universe. The most concrete examples of new forces from the cosmological expansion result from modifications of General Relativity. This article or section seems not to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ...
Occasionally, physicists have postulated the existence of a fifth force in addition to the four known fundamental forces. ...
In particle physics, supersymmetry is a hypothetical symmetry that relates bosons and fermions. ...
In theoretical physics, moduli are scalar fields whose different values are equally good (each one such scalar field is called a modulus). ...
For a less technical and generally accessible introduction to the topic, see Introduction to general relativity. ...
See also The Standard Model of Fundamental Particles and Interactions For the Standard Model in Cryptography, see Standard Model (cryptography). ...
The strong interaction or strong force is today understood to represent the interactions between quarks and gluons as detailed by the theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
The weak interaction (often called the weak force or sometimes the weak nuclear force) is one of the four fundamental interactions of nature. ...
Gravity is a force of attraction that acts between bodies that have mass. ...
Quantum gravity is the field of theoretical physics attempting to unify quantum mechanics, which describes three of the fundamental forces of nature, with general relativity, the theory of the fourth fundamental force: gravity. ...
Interaction in the subatomic world: world lines of pointlike particles in the Standard Model or a world sheet swept up by closed strings in string theory String theory is a model of fundamental physics, whose building blocks are one-dimensional extended objects called strings, rather than the zero-dimensional point...
This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...
Grand unification, grand unified theory, or GUT is a theory in physics that unifies the strong interaction and electroweak interaction. ...
Grand unification, grand unified theory, or GUT is a theory in physics that unifies what are considered three fundamental gauge symmetries: hypercharge, the weak force, and quantum chromodynamics. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
In physics, quintessence is a hypothetical form of dark energy postulated as an explanation of observations of an accelerating universe. ...
Sir Isaac Newton FRS (4 January 1643 – 31 March 1727) [ OS: 25 December 1642 – 20 March 1727][1] was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, and alchemist. ...
James Clerk Maxwell (13 June 1831 – 5 November 1879) was a Scottish mathematician and theoretical physicist from Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. His most significant achievement was aggregating a set of equations in electricity, magnetism and inductance — eponymously named Maxwells equations — including an important modification (extension) of the Ampères...
“Einstein†redirects here. ...
Professor Sheldon Lee Glashow (born December 5, 1932) is an American physicist. ...
For other uses, see Abdus Salam (disambiguation). ...
Steven Weinberg (born May 3, 1933) is an American physicist. ...
Gerard t Hooft at Harvard University Gerardus (Gerard) t Hooft [ut-hooft] (The prefix ’t is pronounced as ‘ut’ and stands for ‘het’) (born July 5, 1946) is a professor in theoretical physics at Utrecht University, The Netherlands. ...
David Jonathan Gross (born February 19, 1941 in Washington, D.C.) is an American particle physicist and string theorist (although hes stated to the Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo, on 09/27/2006, that the second area is included in the first one). ...
Edward Witten (born August 26, 1951) is an American theoretical physicist and professor at the Institute for Advanced Study. ...
Howard Mason Georgi III, born in 1947 in San Bernardino, California, is Harvard College Professor and Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics at Harvard University, where he is also Director of Undergraduate Studies in Physics and Master of Leverett House. ...
Notes - ^ Approximate. The exact strengths depend on the particles and energies involved.
References - Feynman, Richard P. (1967). The Character of Physical Law. MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-56003-8
- Weinberg, S. (1993). The First Three Minutes: A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe. Basic Books. ISBN 0-465-02437-8
- Weinberg, S. (1994). Dreams of a Final Theory. Vintage Books USA. ISBN 0-679-74408-8
- Padmanabhan, T. (1998). After The First Three Minutes: The Story of Our Universe. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-62972-1
- Perkins, Donald H. (2000). Introduction to High Energy Physics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-62196-8
| The Four Fundamental Interactions of Physics | Strong interaction · Electromagnetism · Weak interaction · Gravitation The strong interaction or strong force is today understood to represent the interactions between quarks and gluons as detailed by the theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). ...
Electromagnetism is the physics of the electromagnetic field: a field which exerts a force on particles that possess the property of electric charge, and is in turn affected by the presence and motion of those particles. ...
The weak interaction (often called the weak force or sometimes the weak nuclear force) is one of the four fundamental interactions of nature. ...
Gravity redirects here. ...
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