Many features of the nuclear binding force are summarised below: Choose the correct statement.
(A) Coulomb force acting between two protons inside the nucleus is much weaker than Nuclear force between them
(B) Between proton-proton inside nucleus gravitational force is stronger than nuclear force
(C) Nuclear force between two nucleons falls rapidly to zero as their distance is more than a few femtometer
(D) Nuclear forces between proton-proton, neutron - proton and neutron-neutron is approximately same when distance between them is same.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → (A), (C), (D) Only
The nuclear force is the strong, short-range attraction that holds protons and neutrons together; each statement is checked against its known properties.
(A) Coulomb force acting between two protons inside the nucleus is much weaker than Nuclear force between them — Correct. The nuclear force has to beat the Coulomb repulsion between the protons, which it can do only because it is much stronger.
(B) Between proton-proton inside nucleus gravitational force is stronger than nuclear force — Incorrect. Gravity is the weakest of the three; it is far weaker even than the Coulomb force.
(C) Nuclear force between two nucleons falls rapidly to zero as their distance is more than a few femtometer — Correct. It is a short-range force, which is why the binding energy per nucleon is nearly constant.
(D) Nuclear forces between proton-proton, neutron - proton and neutron-neutron is approximately same when distance between them is same. — Correct. The nuclear force is charge-independent.
NCERT (2026-27):
Nuclear Force – “… (i) The nuclear force is much stronger than the Coulomb force acting between charges or the gravitational forces between masses. … The gravitational force is much weaker than even Coulomb force.”
Nuclear Force – “… (ii) The nuclear force between two nucleons falls rapidly to zero as their distance is more than a few femtometres.”
Nuclear Force – “… (iii) The nuclear force between neutron-neutron, proton-neutron and proton-proton is approximately the same. The nuclear force does not depend on the electric charge.”