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Chapter 16: Problem 34

Why are neutrons thought to be important for making a nucleus stable?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Neutrons are thought to be important for making a nucleus stable because they contribute to the strong nuclear force, which counteracts the repulsive electromagnetic force between protons. Neutrons do not have any charge and therefore do not contribute to the repulsive electromagnetic force, allowing them to act as a "buffer" between protons. Additionally, they help to increase the range of the strong nuclear force in large nuclei, further enhancing the stability of the nucleus.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Atomic Nucleus

An atomic nucleus consists of protons and neutrons, collectively referred to as nucleons. Protons are positively charged particles while neutrons have no charge (neutral). The stability of an atomic nucleus depends on the delicate balance between the attractive strong nuclear force and the repulsive electromagnetic force.
02

Forces at Play in the Nucleus

There are two main forces at play within the nucleus: 1. Strong nuclear force: This attractive force holds the nucleons together and is stronger than the electromagnetic force at short distances. It acts equally among both protons and neutrons. 2. Electromagnetic force: This force is repulsive and occurs between protons due to their similar positive charge. The greater the number of protons in the nucleus, the stronger the electromagnetic force.
03

Role of Neutrons in Nucleus Stability

Neutrons play a crucial role in maintaining the stability of the nucleus for the following reasons: 1. Neutrons contribute to the strong nuclear force, which counteracts the repulsive electromagnetic force between protons. 2. Neutrons do not have any charge. Thus, they do not contribute to the repulsive electromagnetic force in the nucleus. This allows neutrons to act as a "buffer" between protons, reducing the overall repulsion within the nucleus. 3. The presence of more neutrons increases the range of the strong nuclear force in large nuclei, as the strong nuclear force has a limited range and acts only at short distances between nucleons.
04

Conclusion

Neutrons are essential for making a nucleus stable because they contribute to the strong nuclear force and do not add any repulsive electromagnetic force. They help to counterbalance the repulsion between protons and maintain a stable nucleus. This balance is vital for the overall stability and structure of the atom.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What are the advantages of fusion reactors over fission reactions, and why are there as yet no fusion reactors operating on Earth to generate power?

For a fission or fusion reaction to be exothermic, what must be true about the mass defects of the products compared to the mass defect of the reactants? Explain fully.

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Rubidium- 87, a beta emitter, is a product of positron emission. (a) Identify the parent nucleus of \({ }^{87} \mathrm{Rb}\). (b) When the parent nucleus named in part (a) decays, does the \(\mathrm{n} / \mathrm{p}\) ratio increase or decrease?

True or false? (a) The number of nucleons in an atom is equal to its atomic number. (b) The number of nucleons in an atom is equal to its mass number. (c) The number of protons in an atom is equal to its mass number minus its atomic number. (d) The number of neutrons in an atom is equal to its mass number minus its atomic number.
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