Electromagnetic interactions are the forces that arise between electrically charged particles. These interactions can be attractive or repulsive depending on the charges involved.
- All matter is built from subatomic particles like protons, electrons, and neutrons.
- Protons have a positive electric charge, electrons have a negative electric charge, and neutrons have no charge.
Electromagnetic Fields
- The presence of electrically charged particles creates invisible regions of influence around them called electromagnetic fields.
- There are two types of electromagnetic fields, electric fields and magnetic fields.
- Electric fields exist around any stationary charged particle. They exert a force on other charged particles. Like charges repel, and opposite charges attract.
- Magnetic fields are created by moving charged particles or by changing electric fields. They exert a force on other moving charged particles.
Interactions through Fields
- Charged particles don’t directly touch to interact.
- They interact by exchanging energy and momentum through the electromagnetic fields they create.
- For example, two magnets don’t need to physically touch to attract or repel each other; they exert a force through the magnetic field.
Outcomes of Electromagnetic Interactions
Electromagnetic interactions are responsible for:
- Chemical bonding: Electrons in different atoms are attracted or repelled by the protons in the nucleus, leading to the formation of molecules.
- Electricity: The flow of charged particles (usually electrons) creates electric currents, which power our devices.
- Magnetism: Moving charged particles create magnetic fields, which are used in electromagnets and motors.
- Light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation: When charged particles accelerate or change direction, they emit electromagnetic waves, which carry energy and travel through space.
- Electromagnetic interactions are the forces that arise between electrically charged particles. These interactions can be attractive or repulsive depending on the charges involved.
- All matter is built from subatomic particles like protons, electrons, and neutrons.
- Protons have a positive electric charge, electrons have a negative electric charge, and neutrons have no charge.
- Electric fields exist around any stationary charged particle. They exert a force on other charged particles. Like charges repel, and opposite charges attract.
- Magnetic fields are created by moving charged particles or by changing electric fields. They exert a force on other moving charged particles.
- The presence of electrically charged particles creates invisible regions of influence around them called electromagnetic fields.
- There are two types of electromagnetic fields: electric fields and magnetic fields.
- Charged particles don’t directly touch to interact.
- They interact by exchanging energy and momentum through the electromagnetic fields they create.
- For example, two magnets don’t need to physically touch to attract or repel each other; they exert a force through the magnetic fiel