Question

Which of these statements best compares gravitational and electromagnetic forces in the solar system?

Electromagnetic forces are only repulsive but gravitational forces are both attractive and repulsive.
Electromagnetic forces are only attractive but gravitational forces are both attractive and repulsive.
Gravitational forces are only repulsive but electromagnetic forces are both attractive and repulsive.
Gravitational forces are only attractive but electromagnetic forces are both attractive and repulsive.

Answer 1

Gravitational forces are only attractive and play the dominant role in celestial mechanics, while electromagnetic forces can be both attractive and repulsive and are significant at a smaller scale, such as with particles that have electric charges.

Step-by-step explanation:

To compare gravitational and electromagnetic forces in the solar system, it is important to understand their qualities. Gravitational forces are always attractive, influencing the motion of all objects with mass or energy, whereas electromagnetic forces can be either attractive or repulsive, determined by the nature of the charges involved.

In the context of the solar system, electromagnetic forces play a significant role on a smaller scale, such as the interactions between charged particles or objects with significant electrical charge. Conversely, on a large scale such as in celestial mechanics, gravitational force predominantly dictates the orbits of planets and the structure of the solar system. This is because large celestial bodies like planets are almost electrically neutral making electromagnetic forces between them nearly cancel out, leaving gravity as the dominant force.

Answer 2

Gravitational forces are only attractive but electromagnetic forces are both attractive and repulsive. Because magnetic force has negative and positive charges, it can be both attractive and repulsive. Gravity affects objects at a distance, but the attraction weakens as the objects get farther apart.