The table lists the values of the constants used to calculate the electrical force and the gravitational force.
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|}
\hline \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{ Force } & \multicolumn{1}{c|}{ Constant } \\
\hline Electrical & [tex]$8.99 \times 10^9$[/tex] \\
\hline Gravitational & [tex]$6.67 \times 10^{-11}$[/tex] \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

Which best explains how the constants affect the electrical and gravitational forces?

A. The electrical force is much smaller than the gravitational force because 8.99 is much greater than 6.67.
B. The electrical force is much larger than the gravitational force because 8.99 is much greater than 6.67.
C. The electrical force is much smaller than the gravitational force because [tex]$10^9$[/tex] is much greater than [tex]$10^{-11}$[/tex].
D. The electrical force is much larger than the gravitational force because [tex]$10^9$[/tex] is much greater than [tex]$10^{-11}$[/tex].



Answer :

Let's compare the constants used to calculate the electrical and gravitational forces to determine their relative magnitudes and understand which force is larger.

### Step-by-Step Comparison:

1. Identify the constants:
- The constant for the electrical force is \( 8.99 \times 10^9 \).
- The constant for the gravitational force is \( 6.67 \times 10^{-11} \).

2. Compare the numerical values before the exponent:
- The numerical part for the electrical force is 8.99.
- The numerical part for the gravitational force is 6.67.
- 8.99 is greater than 6.67, but this comparison doesn't complete the picture because we also need to take into account the exponents in the constants.

3. Compare the order of magnitudes (exponents):
- The exponent for the electrical force is \( 10^9 \), which is a very large number.
- The exponent for the gravitational force is \( 10^{-11} \), which is a very small number.
- \( 10^9 \) is vastly greater than \( 10^{-11} \).

4. Analyze the impact on the forces:
- Since \( 10^9 \) is much greater than \( 10^{-11} \), the electrical force constant (which is \( 8.99 \times 10^9 \)) is much larger than the gravitational force constant (which is \( 6.67 \times 10^{-11} \)).
- This significant difference in the order of magnitude between the constants means that the electrical force is much larger than the gravitational force.

Therefore, the correct explanation is:

The electrical force is much larger than the gravitational force because [tex]\(10^9\)[/tex] is much greater than [tex]\(10^{-11}\)[/tex].