Why nuclear force is always attractive?

The distance between two nucleons is measured in femtometers (1fm = 10–15m). The nuclear force is really attractive when the distance between two nucleons is around 1fm. Hence, for a medium to a large-sized nucleus, the forces get saturated leading to the constancy of the binding energy per nucleon.

Are there attractive and repulsive forces in the nucleus?

Inside the nucleus, the attractive strong nuclear force between protons outweighs the repulsive electromagnetic force and keeps the nucleus stable. Outside the nucleus, the electromagnetic force is stronger and protons repel each other.

Why nuclear force is repulsive?

Neutrons and protons, both nucleons, are affected by the nuclear force almost identically. At distances less than 0.7 fm, the nuclear force becomes repulsive. This repulsive component is responsible for the physical size of nuclei, since the nucleons can come no closer than the force allows.

What is the repulsive force in the nucleus?

The electromagnetic repulsion takes place within the nucleus between like electric charges. These charges are carried by the protons, whose close proximity to each other intensifies this repulsive force.

Which type of nuclear force is always attractive?

The Strong Nuclear Force
The Strong Nuclear Force is an attractive force between protons and neutrons that keep the nucleus together and the Weak Nuclear Force is responsible for the radioactive decay of certain nuclei.

Is strong nuclear force attractive or repulsive?

The nuclear force is powerfully attractive between nucleons at distances of about 1 femtometre (fm, or 1.0 × 10−15 metres), but it rapidly decreases to insignificance at distances beyond about 2.5 fm. At distances less than 0.7 fm, the nuclear force becomes repulsive.

What is attractive and repulsive forces in physics?

Repulsion is a movement between two charges that are identical or similar. The power that exists between two electrons (negative charge). Attraction is a force between two charges that are distinct or unlike. Repulsive forces occur only when atoms are very close to each other.

Why does nuclear force become repulsive?

Since protons have charge +1 e, they experience an electric force that tends to push them apart, but at short range the attractive nuclear force is strong enough to overcome the electromagnetic force. At distances less than 0.7 fm, the nuclear force becomes repulsive.

Why nuclear force is non central force?

Like wise there is spin-orbit force. This is the interaction between the spin of the nucleon and its orbital motion. Thus, nuclear force is not entirely a central force. Originally Answered: How are protons held together in an atom?