Which force is exclusively attractive in classical physics?

Which force is exclusively attractive in classical physics?

• A. Electric force
• B. Strong nuclear force
• C. Gravitational force
• D. Magnetic force

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that gravity is the only force among these that always pulls, never pushes, in classical physics. Newton’s law of gravitation describes the force between two masses as directed along the line connecting them and toward each other, with magnitude inversely proportional to the square of the distance. Since mass is always positive, the force never reverses to push the objects apart; it is exclusively attractive. In contrast, electric force can attract or repel depending on the signs of the charges, magnetic forces can attract or repel based on orientation of poles or currents, and the strong nuclear force is a quantum interaction that binds particles at very short ranges and isn’t described by classical physics as a simple universally attractive force. So gravity stands as the exclusively attractive force in the classical framework.

The key idea is that gravity is the only force among these that always pulls, never pushes, in classical physics. Newton’s law of gravitation describes the force between two masses as directed along the line connecting them and toward each other, with magnitude inversely proportional to the square of the distance. Since mass is always positive, the force never reverses to push the objects apart; it is exclusively attractive. In contrast, electric force can attract or repel depending on the signs of the charges, magnetic forces can attract or repel based on orientation of poles or currents, and the strong nuclear force is a quantum interaction that binds particles at very short ranges and isn’t described by classical physics as a simple universally attractive force. So gravity stands as the exclusively attractive force in the classical framework.