Question

The table lists the mass and charge of a proton and a neutron.

A 3 column table with 2 rows. The first column is labeled particle with entries proton and neutron. The second column is labeled mass times 10 Superscript negative 27 baseline kg with entries 1.673, 1.675. The last column is labeled charge times 10 Superscript negative 19 baseline C with entries 1.61, 0.

How do the gravitational and electrical forces between a proton and a neutron compare?

The gravitational force is much smaller than the electrical force for any distance between the particles.
The gravitational force is much larger than the electrical force for any distance between the particles.
The gravitational force is much smaller than the electrical force for only very small distances between the particles.
The gravitational force is much larger than the electrical force for only very small distances between the particles.

Answer 1

To compare the gravitational and electrical forces between a proton and a neutron, we can consider their respective strengths. The proton carries a positive charge, while the neutron is electrically neutral (charge = 0).

1. **Gravitational Force**: The gravitational force between two particles can be calculated using Newton's law of gravitation. The force is given by the formula:
\[
F_g = \frac{G \cdot m_1 \cdot m_2}{r^2}
\]
where \(G\) is the gravitational constant, \(m_1\) and \(m_2\) are the masses of the particles, and \(r\) is the distance between them. Thus, the gravitational force between a proton and a neutron is non-zero and depends on their masses.

2. **Electrical Force**: The electrical force between charged particles is given by Coulomb's law:
\[
F_e = \frac{k \cdot |q_1 \cdot q_2|}{r^2}
\]
where \(k\) is Coulomb's constant, and \(q_1\) and \(q_2\) are the charges of the particles. Since the neutron has no charge, the electrical force between a proton and a neutron is zero.

Given this analysis, we conclude that:

- The gravitational force between a proton and a neutron is non-zero (attractive).
- The electrical force between a proton and a neutron is zero (since the neutron is neutral).

Therefore, the correct comparison is:
**The gravitational force is much larger than the electrical force for any distance between the particles.**