A college friend of yours who has been postponing taking any science courses hears you talking about the generation of nuclear energy in the Sun and makes the following observation: "The whole idea of the atomic nucleus is pretty ridiculous. If an oxygen nucleus consists of eight protons and eight neutrons, the charge on that nucleus is positive. Since even I learned in high school that like charges repel, such a nucleus would find all its positive protons repelling and quickly fall apart." How would you answer his argument?

Question

Physics

Blake Calhoun

19 December, 23:06

A college friend of yours who has been postponing taking any science courses hears you talking about the generation of nuclear energy in the Sun and makes the following observation: "The whole idea of the atomic nucleus is pretty ridiculous. If an oxygen nucleus consists of eight protons and eight neutrons, the charge on that nucleus is positive. Since even I learned in high school that like charges repel, such a nucleus would find all its positive protons repelling and quickly fall apart." How would you answer his argument?

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Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Aubrey Potter · Answer 1

It's held together by the nuclear force.

Explanation:

There are more elemental forces than just the electromagnetic one. In this case, it is the nuclear force (called also strong force) the one that holds the nucleus together because it is stronger than the electromagnetic force over such short distances as the one inside the atomic nucleus.