• Question: Why is gravity so weak compared to the other fundamental forces?

    Asked by freddie to Adam, Geoff, Rob, Sheila, Suzie on 21 Mar 2011 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Suzie Sheehy

      Suzie Sheehy answered on 18 Mar 2011:

      Great question and it’s one that we’re working to try to understand!
      The theory is that at some higher energy scale all the different forces might actually have been the same thing, then they break away from one another until you get down to our energy scale where they all appear to be different. It’s a neat theory but we don’t know what that energy scale is, and we don’t have evidence that this is true!
      The LHC will go a long way to helping us understand, though!

    • Photo: Sheila Kanani

      Sheila Kanani answered on 18 Mar 2011:

      I dont actually know, so great question! The amazing thing about gravity is that even though it is so small it is really powerful in terms of the fact that it is accountable, in a way, for the reason we are here! without gravity earth wouldnt orbit the sun and we wouldnt be here!!

    • Photo: Adam Tuff

      Adam Tuff answered on 18 Mar 2011:

      Hmmm…very good question! Perhaps it has something to do with the exchange particles that mediate the interactions – can’t tell you anything more than that I’m afraid!

    • Photo: Robert Simpson

      Robert Simpson answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      That’s a good question and not one I’m in a good position to answer I’m afraid – I’m not sure if anyone is.

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