Sage-Tips

Why do the protons in the nucleus do not fly apart?

The strong nuclear force pulls together protons and neutrons in the nucleus. At very small distances only, such as those inside the nucleus, this strong force overcomes the electromagnetic force, and prevents the electrical repulsion of protons from blowing the nucleus apart.

Why don t the protons in the nucleus mutually repel and fly apart what holds the nucleus together?

The electromagnetic force of repulsion between positive protons in the nucleus is overcome by the strong nuclear force between protons and neutrons. This force is larger than the previous one and hence holds the nucleus together.

Why do atoms stay together and not fly apart?

Recall that protons are positively charged and repel each other by the electromagnetic force (a positive charge repels another positive charge). The reason that the positive nucleus doesn’t fly apart is because of the strong nuclear force which acts between protons and neutrons and “glues” them together.

Why doesn’t the nucleus fly apart Why doesn’t the atom collapse?

The nucleus of an atom (the core) consists of protons, which carry a positive electric charge, and neutrons, which carry no electric charge. The repulsive force becomes huge when the electrically charged particles are very near one another, and in the nucleus protons are very close indeed.

Why are protons in the nucleus?

Protons are bound together in an atom’s nucleus as a result of the strong nuclear force. Neutrons are a type of subatomic particle with no charge (they are neutral). Like protons, neutrons are bound into the atom’s nucleus as a result of the strong nuclear force.

How are protons held together in the nucleus?

Protons and neutrons are held together in a nucleus of an atom by the strong force. The strong force gets it name by being the strongest attractive force. And it is the quarks that exchange force carrying particles between each other to give rise to the strong force. The force carrying particles are called gluons.

Why do protons repel?

When protons or neutrons get close enough to each other, they exchange particles (mesons), binding them together. Although the strong force overcomes electrostatic repulsion, protons do repel each other. For this reason, it’s usually easier to add neutrons to an atom than to add protons. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.

Do protons and protons repel each other?

Protons and neutrons are made up of smaller subatomic particles. When protons or neutrons get close enough to each other, they exchange particles (mesons), binding them together. Although the strong force overcomes electrostatic repulsion, protons do repel each other.

Why would protons and neutrons hold together?

When protons or neutrons get close enough to each other, they exchange particles (mesons), binding them together. Although the strong force overcomes electrostatic repulsion, protons do repel each other. For this reason, it’s usually easier to add neutrons to an atom than to add protons.

Why don’t the protons in the nucleus of an atom fly apart?

One would think that since protons are all positive and like-charges repel each other, then the protons in the nucleus of an atom would fly apart. However, this is not the case due to the strong nuclear force. The strong nuclear force is one of the four fundamental forces of nature along with gravity, electromagnetism, and the weak nuclear force.

Are protons in the nucleus repelled by each other?

Protons in nucleus no doubt are repelled by each other. But we know that an atom is stable. The reason for this is that the protons and the neutrons (together called nucleons) are attracted to each other by a strong for called nuclear force.

What keeps the quarks of a proton together?

Sorry to nitpick with lightarrow, but the strong force keeps the quarks of a proton together. The residual strong force keeps the protons together in a nucleus. The latter is also known as the nuclear force, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_force.

Why can’t two positive protons be close to each other?

Therefore, the repulsive force due to both the protons being electrically positive is not strong enough to break the nucleus apart. Very good question! Looking at the electromagnetic forces, it would seem like two positive protons so close to each other should not be able to remain close together.