Modern physics is governed by four *fundamental forces*: 1. **[[Strong Force|Strong force]]**: The strong force governs the interaction between [[Quark|quarks]], the most basic building blocks of matter. This force makes sure that [[Proton|protons]] and [[Neutron|neutrons]] are stable for long times. 2. **[[Weak Force|Weak force]]**: The weak force is the underlying mechanism of radioactive decay. 3. **[[Coulomb Force|Coulomb force]]**: The Coulomb force mediates the interaction between electrically charged particles. Along with gravity, it is one of the forces that we know from our everyday experience. 4. **[[Gravity]]**: Gravity pulls massive objects towards each other. The first three forces (strong force, weak force and Coulomb force) can be formulated in terms of so-called quantum field theories. Quantum field theories are the underlying concept of how we understand modern physics at the most fundamental level. However, so far, physicists do not know how to include gravity into this framework. This is one of the big fundamental endeavors of the last decades: the search for a **[[Grand Unified Theory|grand unified theory]]**. >[!read]- Further Reading >- [[Electromagnetism]] >[!ref]- References