Nuclear force exists between
A. Electron - Electron
B. Neutron - Neutron
C. Proton - Neutron
D. Proton - Electron
E. Proton - Proton
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → B, C and E only
The nuclear force is the strong attractive force that binds nucleons (protons and neutrons) together in the nucleus; it does not depend on electric charge.
(A) Electron - Electron — No nuclear force. An electron is not a nucleon and does not take part in the nuclear force.
(B) Neutron - Neutron — Nuclear force exists. Both are nucleons.
(C) Proton - Neutron — Nuclear force exists. Both are nucleons.
(D) Proton - Electron — No nuclear force. The electron is not a nucleon; the two attract each other only through the Coulomb force.
(E) Proton - Proton — Nuclear force exists. It acts in addition to the Coulomb repulsion and is the same as for the other nucleon pairs.
NCERT (2026-27):
Nuclear Force – “… 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. Unlike Coulomb’s law or the Newton’s law of gravitation there is no simple mathematical form of the nuclear force.”