Tidal forces 'way down there?

[THX-1138]

This may be a meaningless question; this level of physics is not my field. (It's also late at night.) However, this just occurred to me:

 

Are there any equivalents at the atomic or elementary particle level for the tidal effects we see from gravity in the macrocosm?

 

Thanks!

[dr.syntax]

This may be a meaningless question; this level of physics is not my field. (It's also late at night.) However, this just occurred to me:

 

Are there any equivalents at the atomic or elementary particle level for the tidal effects we see from gravity in the macrocosm?

 

Thanks!

 

REPLY:I`m no physicist, but I don`t see how there could be. Not with the tidal force of the moon on Earth anyway. ...DS

Edited October 4, 2009 by swansont
delete duplicate response

[swansont]

Way too small of an effect. Gravitational perturbations are usually much too small to worry about. Tidal interactions are even smaller.

[D H]

Are there any equivalents at the atomic or elementary particle level for the tidal effects we see from gravity in the macrocosm?

If you mean gravitational effects, the answer is no. At the atomic level gravity itself is but a minor perturbative effect. Tidal gravity is essentially a non-effect.

 

If on the other hand you mean are there any residual forces analogous to tidal forces being a kind of residual effect of gravitation, the answer is yes. Van der Waal forces are residual effects of the electrostatic force, and the nuclear force is a residual effect of the strong interaction.

[THX-1138]

swansont,

 

I didn't mean gravity per se, but (as DH correctly inferred) analogous forces/effects.

 

DH,

 

Excellent. Thanksvery much!