Why is the combination of two protons and two neutrons stable, but the combination of two protons and one neutron is not?
A)There are not enough neutrons to overcome the electrical repulsion of the protons.
B)There are not enough neutrons to overcome the nuclear repulsion of the protons.
C)The nuclear attraction between protons is greater than that between neutrons.
D)The electrical repulsion between the two protons is greater in one case than the other.
E)none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The combination of two protons and two neutrons forms a helium nucleus, which is stable due to the strong nuclear force overcoming the electrical repulsion between protons. In the case of two protons and one neutron, there are not enough neutrons to provide the necessary nuclear force to stabilize the protons' repulsion.

Why Is the Combination of Two Protons and Two Neutrons