What keeps protons together in the nucleus?

In summary, the protons inside the atom's nucleus are held together by the strong force, which works between the quarks that make up protons. This force counteracts the repulsion of the positive charges and is aided by the presence of neutrons in the nucleus. Without the strong force, the nucleus would not be able to stay together.
  • #1
devanlevin
what causes the protons inside the atoms nucleus to stay together(next to one another), positive repels positive, therefore they should repel each other,
 
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  • #2
The strong nuclear force - they do repel each other, that's why it has to be a strong force!

Although it's more correct to think of the forces between the quarks that make up protons, for details search for Quantum chromodynamics (QCD)
 
  • #3
devanlevin said:
what causes the protons inside the atoms nucleus to stay together(next to one another), positive repels positive, therefore they should repel each other,
That's why there are neutrons in the nucleus. The nuclear force is short ranged so that the long range Coulomb force would repel the protons, but the neutrons provide an attractive force toholdd the nucleus together.
 
  • #4
clem said:
That's why there are neutrons in the nucleus. The nuclear force is short ranged so that the long range Coulomb force would repel the protons, but the neutrons provide an attractive force toholdd the nucleus together.

The strong force affects neutrons and protons. The carriers of this force are gluons which work on quarks, leading to the force needed to hold nucleus together.
 
  • #5
devanlevin said:
what causes the protons inside the atoms nucleus to stay together(next to one another), positive repels positive, therefore they should repel each other,
What folks are saying is that there are, in fact, two (for the sake of this discussion) kinds of forces acting between the protons.

This first is the familiar Coulomb force which you are familiar with: this makes the protons want to fly away from each other.

The second is an attractive force that counteracts this repulsion, and is known as the (residual) strong nuclear force. It is this force that helps keep the nucleus intact against the repulsion from the Coulomb force.
 

What is a proton?

A proton is a subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom. It has a positive charge and a relative mass of 1.

How many protons are in the nucleus?

The number of protons in the nucleus determines the atomic number of an element. For example, hydrogen has 1 proton, while carbon has 6 protons.

What is the role of protons in the nucleus?

Protons play a crucial role in determining the chemical and physical properties of an element. They also determine the stability and reactivity of an atom.

Can protons be removed from the nucleus?

Protons cannot be removed from the nucleus without altering the fundamental properties of the atom. However, in nuclear reactions, protons can be converted into neutrons or vice versa.

How do protons stay together in the nucleus?

The protons in the nucleus are held together by the strong nuclear force, which is one of the fundamental forces of nature. This force is stronger than the repulsive force between positively charged particles and keeps the nucleus stable.

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