Heavy nuclei are unstable because
A) each nucleon is a separate particle that is not acted on by the nuclear force.
B) there are not enough protons present relative to the number of neutrons for the electrical force to be strong enough.
C) the nuclear force dominates the Coulomb repulsive force at distances less than 2 fm, but falls off rapidly at greater distances.
D) nuclei are stable only when the number of neutrons equals the number of protons.
E) nuclei are stable only when the number of protons exceeds the number of neutrons.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Heavy nuclei have a large number of protons and neutrons, which results in a large repulsive Coulomb force. However, the strong nuclear force can overcome this Coulomb force at very short distances (less than 2 fermis). Beyond this critical distance, the attractive nuclear force rapidly drops off, leading to instability in the nucleus. This is why heavy nuclei tend to undergo radioactive decay to achieve a more stable configuration.

Heavy Nuclei Are Unstable Because