Which of the four fundamental forces is mainly responsible for contact forces?

gravity, weak nuclear force, electromagnetic force, or strong nuclear force

***I think it's electromagnetic force, is that right? :)

Question

Which of the four fundamental forces is mainly responsible for contact forces?

gravity, weak nuclear force, electromagnetic force, or strong nuclear force

***I think it's electromagnetic force, is that right? :)

kc_kennylau · Answer

I believe that electromagnetic force is a non-contact force (imagine two magnets repelling each other)

anonymous · Answer

ohh okay, so what would be the one responsible for contact forces?

kc_kennylau · Answer

Wait, I think that you're actually correct

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

yeah you basically have the interaction of protons vs protons (since they make up the majority of the atoms' mass) which causes repulsion leading to contact forces

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

which explains why your hand does NOT go through a wall when you lean on it

anonymous · Answer

wait so it is electromagnetic force?

anonymous · Answer

haha going through the wall would not be very good!

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

according to quantum mechanics, it's possible (at least I think it is?) but it's very very rare

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

anyways, don't worry about that since I doubt your physics class is covering that

anonymous · Answer

haha okie:) so in the end, electromagnetic force is mainly responsible for contact forces? :O

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

yeah because that's where we're saying "a proton has a positive charge (of +1) and an electron has a negative charge (of -1)"

jim_thompson5910 · Answer

remember the protons are so much more massive than the electrons

anonymous · Answer

ahh okie:)  

thank you:D