Nuclear fusion and strong force

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the role of the strong nuclear force during the fusion of hydrogen atoms. The strong force, which is approximately 137 times stronger than the electromagnetic force, is responsible for overcoming electromagnetic repulsion when nuclei are brought close enough together. This force is short-ranged and acts between adjacent nucleons, allowing for fusion to occur when the combined mass of the resulting nucleus is less than that of the original nuclei. The conversation also touches on the complexities of the strong force, including its dependence on quark interactions and the challenges of modeling it accurately.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of nuclear physics concepts, particularly strong nuclear force
  • Familiarity with quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and color charge
  • Knowledge of particle interactions, including electromagnetic forces
  • Basic grasp of nuclear fusion processes
NEXT STEPS
  • Research "Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) and its implications for nuclear interactions"
  • Explore "Lattice QCD" for computational modeling of strong force interactions
  • Study "Nuclear fusion mechanisms and energy release" for practical applications
  • Investigate "One-pion exchange potential (OPEP)" to understand nucleon interactions
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, nuclear engineers, and students of advanced physics who are interested in the mechanisms of nuclear fusion and the fundamental forces governing particle interactions.

  • #31
Is there any particle in nature besides neutron which is electromagnetically neutral?
 
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  • #32
humsafar said:
Is there any particle in nature besides neutron which is electromagnetically neutral?

Yes, oodles of them.
 
  • #33
If my understanding is correct, then:
An anti-proton and a proton would attract each other very easily since they are opposite charges. This would pull them together and the strong nuclear force would take over once they were close enough to each other, and soon after they would annihilate each other.

Also, in regards to the OP, the strong nuclear force is the driving force behind fusion. Once the particles get close enough for the strong force to overcome the repulsion of the electromagnetic force, the two particles would bind together.

Gluons are to the strong force like photons are to the electromagnetic force. They both "mediate" their respective forces. The attraction or repulsion of an electromagnetic source (Magnet/charged particle) is thought to be caused by an exchange of Photons. In a similar way, the attraction of the strong force is due to the exchange of Gluons between quarks.

That help at all?
 
  • #34
Drakkith said:
Gluons are to the strong force like photons are to the electromagnetic force. They both "mediate" their respective forces. The attraction or repulsion of an electromagnetic source (Magnet/charged particle) is thought to be caused by an exchange of Photons. In a similar way, the attraction of the strong force is due to the exchange of Gluons between quarks.

And a nice thing to remember about these "exchange" particles is that the force they mediate is inversely proportional to the mass of the particles themselves. This is why gravity and the electromagnetic forces have an infinite range as gravitons and photons are seen to have zero mass. Whereas a force such as the weak force is short-ranged because the exchange particles which mediate them are massive W and Z bosons.

Incidently a Z boson is another example of a charge neutral particle.

From what I can tell though, the strong force which acts between quarks, mediated by gluons does not diminish with range, however once outside the hadron which the quarks compile the strong force observed between hadrons is a residuum of this, and at which point these gluons contribute to the rho and pi mesons which act as the exchange particles between nucleons. These particles have mass and so explains partly why the strong force between nucleons has a short range.
 
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  • #35
does neutralino have its antiparticle?
 

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