Question

What would be the electrostatic force between an electron and a neutron? Explain your answer.

a) The electrostatic force is attractive and equal in magnitude to the gravitational force.
b) The electrostatic force is zero because electrons and neutrons have no charge.
c) The electrostatic force is repulsive due to opposite charges.
d) The electrostatic force is negligible in comparison to other forces in the nucleus.

Answer 1

The electrostatic force between an electron and a neutron is zero since neutrons have no electric charge and cannot exert an electrostatic force on the electron.

Step-by-step explanation:

The electrostatic force between an electron and a neutron is zero because electrons have a negative charge, and neutrons are electrically neutral, having no charge. Therefore, there is no electrostatic interaction between them. Instead, electrons are held in the vicinity of the nucleus due to the electromagnetic force with positively charged protons, and neutrons in the nucleus are held together with protons by the strong nuclear force, which is much stronger than electromagnetic force at short distances, such as those within atomic nuclei. The correct answer to the question is: The electrostatic force is zero because electrons and neutrons have no charge.