Gravity: Not as strong as it seems!

Gravity, the force that keeps us from flying off the Earth, seems pretty strong, but compared to other forces like the electromagnetic force, gravity is actually very weak.

Think about it: What happens when you try to pick up a paper clip with a magnet? In this situation there are two forces acting on the paper clip: the force of gravity from the Earth and the electromagnetic force from the magnet. Both of these forces pull on the paper clip. The question is: which force wins?

So which one wins? The magnet wins of course! Gravity is so weak that a tiny magnet can hold up a paper clip against the gravity of the entire Earth. Try it for yourself!