Question

Write four properties of electromagnetic forces.

Answer 1

Hint: Moving charges produce magnetic effects (i.e. magnetic field). Magnetic field produces a force on moving charges. Since electric and magnetic effects due to charges are inseparable, so the force between charges is known as the electromagnetic force.

Complete step by step answer:
Therefore the properties of electromagnetic forces are:
i) It's both attractive as well as a repulsive force.
ii) It is a long-range force because electromagnetic force between two charges is effective even if their distance of separation is very large.
iii) Electromagnetic force is a central force, i.e. it acts along the line joining the centres of two interacting charges.
iv) Electromagnetic force is a conservative force because work done by this force is independent of the path followed by charged bodies, and it depends on the initial and final position of charged bodies.
v) Electromagnetic force between two charged particles is due to the exchange of photons between them.
vi) It is ${10}^{36}$times stronger than the gravitational force.
vii) It obeys the inverse square law.

Additional Information: The force of attraction and repulsion between two electric charges or charge bodies is known as electrostatic force. The electrostatic force between two charged bodies is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. If charges can move, they produce a magnetic effect. This magnetic effect gives rise to a magnetic force on a moving charge.

Note: Electromagnetic force is one of the basic forces in nature. It is the combination of magnetic and electric force. When we give a detailed explanation of electromagnetic force, we define separately electric and magnetic force and combine these two to form an electromagnetic force. Some very common examples of electromagnetic forces are tension in a string, normal force, tension in a spring, etc.