Nuclear force facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Nuclear force is the force between nucleons. It is the force that pulls protons and neutrons into atoms. It is very hard to break the bond, or tie, between protons and neutrons in an atom, because nuclear force holds them together. When the bond is broken, this is called nuclear fission.

Images for kids

  • ReidForce2

    Force (in units of 10,000 N) between two nucleons as a function of distance as computed from the Reid potential (1968). The spins of the neutron and proton are aligned, and they are in the S angular momentum state. The attractive (negative) force has a maximum at a distance of about 1 fm with a force of about 25,000 N. Particles much closer than a distance of 0.8 fm experience a large repulsive (positive) force. Particles separated by a distance greater than 1 fm are still attracted (Yukawa potential), but the force falls as an exponential function of distance.

  • ReidPotential

    Corresponding potential energy (in units of MeV) of two nucleons as a function of distance as computed from the Reid potential. The potential well is a minimum at a distance of about 0.8 fm. With this potential nucleons can become bound with a negative "binding energy."

  • Pn scatter pi0

    A Feynman diagram of a strong proton–neutron interaction mediated by a neutral pion. Time proceeds from left to right.

  • Nulcear Force anim

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