\( O_2 \) molecules consist of two oxygen atoms. In the molecule, nuclear force between the nuclei of two atoms.
(A) is not important because Nuclear forces are short ranged
(B) is as important as electrostatic force for binding the two atoms
(C) cancels the repulsive electrostatic force between the nuclei
(D) not important because oxygen nucleus have equal no. of neutrons and protons
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → (A) Only
The nuclear force is strong but has a very short range, a few femtometres (\( 10^{-15}\,\mathrm{m} \)). The two oxygen nuclei in an \( \mathrm{O_2} \) molecule are separated by about \( 10^{-10}\,\mathrm{m} \), roughly \( 10^{5} \) times the range of the nuclear force.
(A) is not important because Nuclear forces are short ranged — Correct. At this separation the nuclear force between the two nuclei is negligible.
(B) is as important as electrostatic force for binding the two atoms — Incorrect. The molecule is bound by the electrostatic (electron-sharing) forces, not by the nuclear force.
(C) cancels the repulsive electrostatic force between the nuclei — Incorrect. There is no nuclear force between the two nuclei at this distance to cancel anything.
(D) not important because oxygen nucleus have equal no. of neutrons and protons — Incorrect. The nuclear force is unimportant here because of the distance, not because of the neutron-proton balance inside each nucleus.
NCERT Exemplar:
Nuclei – …
