It is enjoyable to take into consideration the elemental bodily constants. These are particular values utilized in our fashions of the bodily universe. They embody issues just like the velocity of sunshine, the gravitational fixed, and Planck’s fixed, and so they’re “elementary” within the sense that we will not derive them theoretically, we are able to solely measure them.
We use these in fixing physics issues on a regular basis, so it’s straightforward to take them without any consideration. However why are there such numbers in nature, and why do they simply occur to have these particular values? As a result of, pay attention, in the event that they have been solely barely completely different, the universe may be incapable of supporting life. Did some cosmic clockmaker set these parameters? Isaac Newton thought so.
Probably the most fundamental of those numbers is the electrical fixed, okay. It is a worth that lets us calculate the forces between electrical prices. That’s an enormous deal when you think about that every one matter is fabricated from simply three issues—electrons, neutrons, and protons, two of which have an electrical cost. The interplay between electrons is what kinds molecules to create you and every thing round you. In any other case it could all be just a few undifferentiated soup.
However how do we all know the worth of the electrical fixed? Additionally, what does it should do with different elementary constants? And for that matter, is it actually elementary? Let’s examine.
Coulomb’s Legislation and Fixed
After we say one thing has an electrical cost, we imply it has a special variety of protons and electrons. In case your garments dryer removes some electrons out of your socks, they develop into positively charged. In the event that they acquire electrons, they’ll be negatively charged. (Observe: You possibly can’t take away protons, since they’re within the nucleus of the atom. It could contain a nuclear response, which no person needs.)
When you’ve got two objects with reverse prices, they entice. If they’ve the identical cost, they repel. This is a demo you are able to do your self: Take a chunk of clear tape and place it on a clean desk. Then put a second piece on prime of that one, and pull them off collectively. Now, in the event you separate them, one shall be constructive and one shall be damaging; maintain them in proximity and they’ll bend towards one another.
If you happen to repeat the method, you’ll have two constructive and two damaging tapes. Maintain two with related prices close to one another, and also you’ll see that they repel, like within the image under:
