Strong Nuclear Force

The Strong Nuclear Force

The strong nuclear force is considered the strongest of all the forces in nature, with an almost unlimited range. It holds protons and neutrons together with energies of about 10 million units, compared with electromagnetism which binds electrons to the atomic nuclei with an estimate force of only 10 units (called electron volts). Strong nuclear interactions, as we said earlier, account for the tremendous energy released of a hydrogen bomb. It goes without saying that without the strong nuclear force, the nucleus would disintegrate and the atom would fall apart. In particular, it prevents the protons from flying apart. It also binds the quarks, of which protons and neutrons are composed, together. The strong nuclear force is mediated by a massless particle, called gluon. Quantum chromodynamics (QCD) is a new theory which tries to explain strong interactions. It explains how quarks bind together to form particles, and how these particles combine together to form atomic nuclei (98-99).