Explain why the gravitational force can be ignored for sub-atomic particles - Leaving Cert Physics - Question i - 2017

Gravitational force is generally very weak compared to other fundamental forces, particularly at sub-atomic scales. This can be attributed to two major factors:

1. Small Masses: Sub-atomic particles such as electrons and protons have extremely small masses. The gravitational force $F_g$ is given by the formula:

   $F_g = G \frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2}$

   where $G$ is the gravitational constant, $m_1$ and $m_2$ are the masses of the particles, and $r$ is the distance between them. Because $m_1$ and $m_2$ are so small, $F_g$ becomes negligible.

2. Weakness of Gravitational Force: Gravitational force is notably weaker than electromagnetic and nuclear forces. For example, the electromagnetic force between two charged particles is many orders of magnitude stronger than the gravitational force between them. This dominance of non-gravitational forces in sub-atomic interactions makes gravitational forces effectively insignificant in most calculations involving these particles.