Question

Can somebody answer this question? :)

If protons are positively charged, why do they remain intact in the nucleus?

Answer 1

well, charges of the same kind repel

Answer 2

i could write a crappy example of likes dispell and opposites attract and magnets and stuff but it would probs confuse you

Answer 3

The strong nuclear force binds nucleons (protons and neutrons) together. It is a very short-range force, which is why it only acts over distances on the scale of atomic nuclei. There is repulsion between the protons, which is why, as the number of protons goes up, more and more neutrons are required to stabilize the nucleus (look at how atomic mass goes up relative to atomic number on a periodic table). More nucleons (protons and neutrons) means more strong force, and more neutrons means more space between the protons, reducing the repulsion. Together, these effects can produce a stable nucleus.

Stable here is a relative term, since nuclear decay occurs for many isotopes in which the particular number of protons and neutrons isn't stable in the long term (sometimes very long). All elements above lead on the periodic table have too many protons and are all radioactive, since no number of neutrons is able to fully stabilize the atoms against nuclear decay. This is partly a result of the proton-proton repulsion you refer to.

Answer 4

so this is what some smart person had to say, i've read it and it should make sense to you :)

Answer 5

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Answer 6

Nuclear forces (between proton and neutron) are stronger than electromagnetic forces (between proton and proton). Thus protons experience much greater nuclear force of attraction than the electromagnetic force of repulsion. Due to this they remain intact in the nucleus.

Answer 7

Got it ?

Answer 8

the strong force, as far as I know, is proportional to distance^6, while the electromagnetic force is proportional to distance^2. this implicated, that there is a critical distance where the strong force becomes stronger than the electromagnetic force.

the protons in a nucleus are much closer than the critical distance, and thus they hold together very well. but if you want to fuse atoms (as happening in the sun), you need a great deal of energy to do so, because the repel is much stronger beyond the critical distance. you first need to cross that barrier to do so.