Home > Chemistry > Basic Atomic Structure

Two protons can exist together in the nucleus of an atom because their electrostatic repulsion is overcome by what forces?

Answer 1

Because of the #"strong nuclear force"#.

Since most chemists—including myself—don't know much about the strong nuclear force, you will likely receive a much better response in the Physics section.

It appears that at nuclear ranges, close-range attractive force between protons and neutrons takes the place of electrostatic repulsion, binding the nucleons together and maintaining the stability of the nucleus.

Oh, and what is the element if the nucleus contains two protons?

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer 2

Luna Chen

The strong nuclear force overcomes the electrostatic repulsion between two protons, allowing them to coexist in the nucleus of an atom.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.