Choose the incorrect statement(s) among the following:
(A) Nuclear forces are always attractive.
(B) Nuclear forces are short range forces.
(C) Nuclear forces are charge dependent.
(D) Nuclear forces are stronger than the Coulomb’s force.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → (A) and (C) only
The nuclear force is the strong attraction that binds nucleons together against the Coulomb repulsion between protons. Its main features decide each statement.
(A) Nuclear forces are always attractive. — Incorrect statement. The force is attractive for separations of about 0.8 fm to a few fm, but becomes strongly repulsive below about 0.8 fm, which stops the nucleons from collapsing into each other.
(B) Nuclear forces are short range forces. — Correct statement. The force falls to almost zero beyond a few femtometres.
(C) Nuclear forces are charge dependent. — Incorrect statement. The nuclear force is charge independent: the neutron–neutron, neutron–proton and proton–proton forces are nearly the same.
(D) Nuclear forces are stronger than the Coulomb’s force. — Correct statement. Within its range the nuclear force is much stronger than the Coulomb repulsion between protons; otherwise no nucleus could hold together.
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.”
Nuclear Force – “… (ii) The nuclear force between two nucleons falls rapidly to zero as their distance is more than a few femtometres.”
Nuclear Force – “… This means that the force is attractive for distances larger than 0.8 fm and repulsive if they are separated by distances less than 0.8 fm.”
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.”