fundamental forces
Nature's core interactions
The fundamental forces are the four basic interactions that govern all physical phenomena in the universe: gravity, electromagnetism, the strong nuclear force, and the weak nuclear force.
Gravity attracts masses to each other.
Electromagnetism governs charged particles, light, and chemical bonds.
The strong force binds atomic nuclei together.
The weak force drives radioactive decay.
Physicists have unified electromagnetism and the weak force into a single framework, and search continues for a theory uniting all four.
Accepted reference framework
- grand unified theoryUnites fundamental forces
- Higgs bosonElementary particle explaining mass
- supersymmetryBosons mirror fermions theoretically
- string theoryFilament-based particle framework
theory of everything · fermions · bosons · virtual particles · unified field theory
Pull toward something
- massQuantity of matter
- weightMeasure of heaviness
- orbitCurved celestial path
- freefallUnimpeded downward motion
gravitation · spacetime · curvature · black hole · gravitational wave · tidal · acceleration · inertia
Fundamental hadron components
- gluonsStrong force exchange particles
- radioactive decayUnstable atoms releasing energy
- beta decayRadioactive nucleon transformation process
- W bosonCharged weak force carrier
nuclear fission · nuclear fusion · proton · neutron · nucleon · neutrino
Cost or accusation
- electric fieldRegion affecting nearby charges
- magnetic fieldForce zone around magnets
- photonElectromagnetic radiation unit
- lightVisible electromagnetic radiation
Maxwell · electromagnetic spectrum · electromagnetic wave · Coulomb · Faraday · electric current · magnetism · polarization
standard model
Accepted reference framework
- grand unified theoryUnites fundamental forces
- Higgs bosonElementary particle explaining mass
- supersymmetryBosons mirror fermions theoretically
string theory · theory of everything · fermions · bosons · virtual particles · unified field theory
attraction
Pull toward something
freefall · gravitation · spacetime · curvature · black hole · gravitational wave · tidal · acceleration · inertia · neutron star
quarks
Fundamental hadron components
- gluonsStrong force exchange particles
- radioactive decayUnstable atoms releasing energy
- beta decayRadioactive nucleon transformation process
W boson · nuclear fission · nuclear fusion · proton · neutron · nucleon · neutrino
charge
Cost or accusation
- electric fieldRegion affecting nearby charges
- magnetic fieldForce zone around magnets
- photonElectromagnetic radiation unit
light · Maxwell · electromagnetic spectrum · electromagnetic wave · Coulomb · Faraday · electric current · magnetism · polarization · electromagnetic induction
fundamental forcesfriction
Resistance between touching surfaces
tension · normal force · buoyancy · drag · chemical bonds
fundamental forcesmechanical forces
Pushes, pulls, torques acting
fundamental forcespseudo-forces
Apparent forces in accelerating frames
centrifugal force · Coriolis force · life force · vital force · supernatural forces
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