The Physics of Relationships

There are striking similarities between how elementary particles come together to form atoms, molecules and eventually various materials and how a family, a village and then a society is established from a collection of people.

- BASAB DASGUPTA

The concept of viewing members of a society as atoms is known as "Social Atomism" in theories of social studies. My analysis generalizes the concept further by going into the internal structure of atoms, discusses different types of social structures and points out its limitations.

Hydrogen atoms have the simplest atomic structure consisting of a proton and an electron carrying opposite charges. I would like to suggest that it is similar to a committed couple. An ideal couple involves a man and a woman, and no other person.

The woman carrying heavier "weight" at the centre of domestic life would be like the proton, at the centre of a hydrogen atom with larger mass. The man's activities revolve around the woman like an electron rotating around the proton.

Just like the electrostatic attraction between the proton and electron, there is an attraction between the man and the woman. The electron tends to fly off because of the centrifugal force, but the attraction of the proton keeps it in orbit. At the same time, because of this centrifugal force, the attraction does not pull the electron into the proton causing a collapse of the atom.

A man has a tendency to explore activities outside the "home", but it is the woman's attraction that always brings him back. However, these outside interests keep the man at an optimum distance from the woman and he does not cling to the woman all the time.

On a microscopic scale, the only force in a hydrogen atom is the attractive force between the proton and electron; there is not even any frictional force. The same is true for an ideal couple-no source of friction or interference!