Atomic physicists usually ignore the effect of gravity within an atom. To see why, we may calculate and compare the magnitude of the ratio of the electrical force and gravitational force, Fe/ Fg, between an electron and a proton separated by a distance of 6 m.
A) What is the magnitude of the electrical force? N
B) What is the magnitude of the gravitational force? (G = 6.67 x 10 -11; the mass of an electron is 9.109 × 10-31 kg; the mass of a proton is 1.673 × 10-27 kg) N
C) How many times stronger is the electrical force? That is, what is the ratio of the magnitude of the electrical force to the magnitude of the gravitational force, Fe/ Fg?