Residual Strong Force
Holds the Nucleus Together
nucleus is held together by strong interaction
- should be blown apart by electrical
repulsion between protons
- but its "glued" together by
gluon particles
nucleus analogy
- tightly cocked spring (the electrical
repulsion)
- held in place by very big rope (strong
force)
- stored-up (mass) energy in spring can't be
released to kinetic energy because rope is too strong
