Study the image below and answer the question.

The following is the graph between potential energy between nucleons versus the separation between them. It is seen that the potential energy is a minimum at a distance r_o of about 0.8 fm.

At a distance of 1.2 fm, what can you say about the potential or force?

The potential increases.

The potential increases as the distance between the nucleons increases but it remains negative. That is to say that the forces will then be attractive in nature.