Which of the four fundamental forces allows wax to stick to a car?

1 Answer
Mar 12, 2016

The electromagnetic force is what makes the wax and the car stick together. Even before you wax the car, the atoms and molecules in the wax and the car are held together by the electromagnetic force too.

Explanation:

Atoms and molecules may look neuttal to us, but inside them are negatively charged electrons and positively charged nuclei. The attraction between the electrons and the nuclei, which is the electronsgnetoc force in its most basic form, hold the atoms together.

But there is more. The electrons in one atom can also be attracted to the nuclei of other atoms. That can put the electrons into a lower energy, more stable state than when they are in separate atoms. So the electronagnetic force creates a natural tendency for most atoms to bond to each other. Including atoms from wax with atoms from the surface of a car.