Question

Two protons are 1.28 fm apart. (1 fm= 1 femtometer = 1 x 10-15 m.) What is the ratio of the electric force to the gravitational force on one proton due to the other proton?

Answer 1

Given

Distance between two protons, r=1.28 fm

Mass of a proton,

`m=1.67*10^(-27)kg`

Charge of an electron,

`q=1.6*10^(-19)C`

To find

What is the ratio of the electric force to the gravitational force on one proton due to the other proton?

Step-by-step explanation

The electric force is

`F=k(q* q)/(r^2)`

The gravitational fore

`F^(\prime)=G(m* m)/(r^2)`

The ratio is

`\begin{gathered} (F)/(F^(\prime))=(kq* q)/(Gm* m) \\ \Rightarrow(F)/(F^(\prime))=(9*10^9*1.6*10^(-19)*1.6*10^(-19))/(6.67*10^(-11)*1.67*10^(-27)*1.67*10^(-27)) \\ \Rightarrow(F)/(F^(\prime))=1.2*10^(36) \end{gathered}`

Conclusion

The required ratio is

`1.2*10^(36)`