Final answer:
The conditions under which nuclear decay would most likely occur is when the strong nuclear force is greater than the electrostatic force.
Step-by-step explanation:
The conditions under which nuclear decay would most likely occur is represented by the option D: Strong nuclear force > electrostatic force.
In the atomic nucleus, there are repulsive electrostatic forces between protons. These repulsions are normally overcome by the strong nuclear force, which is a powerful attractive force between the nucleons. However, when the electrostatic forces become stronger than the attractive forces, the nucleus becomes unstable and will eventually decay.
For example, at high values of the atomic number A, the repulsive electrostatic forces between protons dominate over the attractive nuclear forces. This causes the nucleus to break apart rather than hold together.