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Many scientists will laugh at this question, but I suspect a lot of people have simply never thought of it before. Which force is stronger: gravity, or magnetism? To answer this question, take a compass and hold it. The needle will point to the North. Now, let go of it. The compass will fall to the ground, and if it doesn't shatter upon impact, the needle will probably spin around about five times, before once again settling down and pointing towards the North. That should answer your question: Gravity is *much* stronger than magnetism. To be exact, gravity is 137-times stronger than magnetism *at the planetary level*. There is, of course, an exception to this rule: Electromagnetism is stronger at the atomic and sub-atomic levels, so things are not as obvious as they might initially seem. Also, suppose a paper clip is lying on the ground, and you touch it with a magnet, and try to lift it off the ground. Which force wins: gravity or magnetism? Ponder that one as the paper clip has been raised to eye-level. And then there's this: Which leads us into tensile strengths ...
