Question

What types of nuclear forces determine the rate at which a radioactive material decays?

Select one:
a. strong and weak
b. negative and positive
c. attractive and repulsive
d. charged and uncharged

Answer 1

a. strong and weak

Step-by-step explanation:

There 4 fundamental forces in nature:

1. Gravity - it is an attractive force that is exerted between objects with mass

2. Electromagnetic force - it can be an attractive or repulsive force, and it is exerted between objects with electric charge

3. Strong nuclear force - it is a force that acts between particles within the nucleus of an atom, holding protons and neutrons together

4. Weak nuclear force - it is a force that acts on very short scales, and it is responsible for the decay of some particles

While gravity and the electromagnetic force play no role in the radioactive decay of the substances, either the strong or the weak nuclear force can be involved in the decay of a particle ( in fact, a particle can decay due to the weak interaction or due to the strong interaction), so the correct answer is:

a. strong and weak

Answer 2

The correct answer is C.
The atom is made up of three different particles, which are electrons, protons and neutrons. The proton and the neutron is located in the nucleus, which is the central part of the atom and the electrons are revolving around the nucleus. There is a strong repulsive force between protons and protons in the nucleus, but a strong attractive force occur between the protons and neutrons, neutrons and neutrons and protons and protons in the nucleus with approximately equal strength. These two forces keep the nucleus together and determine the rate at which radioactive decay take place.