It would be better to say that neutrons do participate in the binding force that holds nuclei together, but do not alone act as the glue. Both protons and neutrons are attracted and bound in nuclei by the nuclear force. The strong force itself, a fundamental force in physics behind this short-distance attraction between nucleons, is actually mediated by another particle - the gluon.
Strong nuclear forces act through gluons in the nucleus
The primary role of the neutrons in the nucleus of an atom is to contribute to the binding energy or nuclear glue that holds the nucleus itself together. Recall that an atomic nucleus is made of protons and neutrons. Protons have a positive charge, and they don't like each other. In order to overcome the repulsive forces of the protons, neutrons are included in the structure to contribute to the so-called mass deficit. That phenomenon involves the nucleons (the protons and neutrons in a nucleus) losing a bit of mass that is converted into binging energy to hold the neucleus together.
The force between nucleons is called nuclear force.
Atoms never have two or more protons in their nucleus without having at least one neutron (or more). Protons don't like each other. They have a positive electrostatic charge, and like charges repel each other. So protons alone cannot make up an atomic nucleus. Enter, the neutron. When atoms are created by fusion, neutrons are included in the construction. They have to be. In fusion, the building blocks of a new atomic nucleus are "smooshed" together, and all of the particles undergo a mass change. Each nucleon loses a bit of mass, and that mass is converted into nuclear binding energy or nuclear glue. And it is this stuff that makes the protons stick together (with the neutrons). It takes protons and neutrons to contribute to the creation of binding energy to cause a nucleus to fuse together.The hydrogen-1 isotope (the most abundant form of hydrogen) has no neutrons, which is possible because it only has one proton.
Yes, the protons help hold an atomic nucleus together. Let's look at things and figure this one out. Protons are positively charged, as you know, and like charges repel. That's basic electrostatics. The Coulomb forces of the protons push them away from each other. Further, when protons are packed into an atomic nucleus, they're still pushing away from each other. Let's consider what happens when an atomic nucleus forms. The term nucleon is how we refer to protons and neutrons when they are used as building blocks of an atomic nucleus. And the nucleons all undergo what is called mass deficit when that atomic nucleus if forced together in nuclear fusion. All the nucleons lose some mass during the fusion process, and this mass is converted into nuclear binding energy. The nuclear binding energy is also called nuclear glue, or residual strong interaction (residual strong force). And it is this force that overcomes the repulsive force of the protons, and it keeps the nucleus together. It turns out that both the protons and neutrons are involved in the "magic" that holds the nucleus together, as we've seen. Certainly the protons cannot do it by themselves, and the neutrons are necessary. But the protons have to give up some mass as well so that residual strong force can appear and mediate the fusion process that holds the nucleus together. It's really that simple.
Yes. The Strong Nuclear Force is the force that holds the protons and neutrons together in the nucleus and is transmitted by gluons. It is the glue that holds the nucleus together. The Weak Force is responsible for the decay of radioactive elements. It ejects neutrons from the nucleus of a radioactive atom.
Neutrons function as the atomic glue that holds the nucleus together. They help stabilize the protons in the nucleus, preventing them from repelling each other due to their positive charge. The number of neutrons in an atom can affect its stability and the type of chemical reactions it can undergo.
Strong nuclear forces act through gluons in the nucleus
Yes. The strong interaction (or strong force) holds or binds quarks together. As you recall, quarks make up protons and neutrons. In cases where hydrogen nuclei have a neutron or two, residual strong interaction holds the neutron(s) to the proton. Some of the mass of the nucleons, which protons and neutrons when we are talking about them as components of an atomic nucleus, is converted into nuclear binding energy or nuclear glue to hold the nucleus together.
The glue that holds atoms together is the electromagnetic force between the positively charged protons in the nucleus and the negatively charged electrons surrounding it. This force keeps the electrons in orbit around the nucleus and holds the atoms together to form molecules and solids.
Wood glue holds boards together.
The primary role of the neutrons in the nucleus of an atom is to contribute to the binding energy or nuclear glue that holds the nucleus itself together. Recall that an atomic nucleus is made of protons and neutrons. Protons have a positive charge, and they don't like each other. In order to overcome the repulsive forces of the protons, neutrons are included in the structure to contribute to the so-called mass deficit. That phenomenon involves the nucleons (the protons and neutrons in a nucleus) losing a bit of mass that is converted into binging energy to hold the neucleus together.
Lead can only stay together if it has enough nuclear binding energy to overcome the electrostatic repulsive forces of all the protons in the nucleus of its atom. Remember that protons are positive charges, and like charges repel. Only nuclear glue, that binding energy, holds the nucleus together. This binding energy is generated during the process wherein the atomic nucleus was created. The neutrons and protons that are going to be in a nucleus all suffer a slight reduction in their mass. This mass deficit is converted into the binding energy that holds a nucleus together. That's why it takes all those neutrons in the nucleus of an atom to keep the whole thing together.
The force between nucleons is called nuclear force.
glue
The "strong force" as it is known (also affectionately as "nuclear glue") binds both neutrons and protons to one another, despite electrostatic repulsion that exists between them. It is one of the four fundamental forces of nature.
The "carrier" of the strong nuclear force between nucleons is the meson. However, that force itself comes out of the force between quarks within baryons, which is "carried" via gluons. So you could say either mesons or gluons.