Verified Solution • 2025–26 Session moderate

QPage 440: Q3: HC Verma: Concepts of Physics - Volume 2 The Nucleus Page 440: Q3 Solution: A molecule of hydrogen contains two protons and two electrons.…

⚠️ Common Exam Traps & Conceptual Pitfalls

Students often assume nuclear forces are universally dominant and ignore the critical distance constraint; remember that the nuclear force is strictly short-range ($\sim 10^{-15}$ m) and becomes negligible at molecular separations ($\sim 10^{-10}$ m), where electromagnetic forces prevail.

A molecule of hydrogen contains two protons and two electrons. The nuclear force between these two protons is always neglected while discussing the behaviour of a hydrogen molecule. Why?

Step-by-Step Verified Solution

**Answer:** The nuclear force between the two protons is neglected because it is a short-range force that is negligible at the typical separation of protons in a hydrogen molecule. **Step-by-Step Explanation:** The nuclear force acts only over distances of the order of a few femtometers (10___ m). In a hydrogen molecule (H_), the two protons are separated by about 0.74 � (0.74 _ 10___ m), which is much larger than the range of the nuclear force. Therefore, the nuclear force between the protons is completely negligible compared to the electromagnetic forces that govern molecular binding[citation:1].

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