A Level Physics Practice Exam

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Study for the A Level Physics Exam. Our quiz features flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Prepare thoroughly!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

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What is a defining property of the strong nuclear force?

It is always attractive
It operates over a very short range
It is weaker than the electrostatic force
It cannot hold isotopes together

The correct answer is: It operates over a very short range

The defining property of the strong nuclear force is that it operates over a very short range. This force is responsible for holding nucleons (protons and neutrons) together within an atomic nucleus. It is effective at distances on the order of a few femtometers (10^-15 meters) but rapidly decreases in strength beyond this range. While the strong nuclear force does have an attractive nature that helps bind nucleons, it can also exhibit a repulsive component at extremely short distances to prevent nucleons from collapsing into one another. Hence, it is more accurate to distinguish it by its short-range effectiveness. Additionally, the strong force is significantly stronger than the electrostatic force, contrary to the implication of one of the other options. Lastly, isotopes, which are variations of elements with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, are indeed held together by the strong nuclear force within the nucleus.