Question

In the nucleus of an atom, two protons are separated are by a distance of 1*10^-15m. What is the magnitude of the electric force between them?

A. 115N
B. 720N
C. 142N
D. 230N

Answer 1

D. 230 N

Step-by-step explanation:

The magnitude of the electric force between the two protons is given by:

`F=k(q_1 q_2)/(r^2)`

where

k is the Coulomb's constant

`q_1 = q_2 = 1.6\cdot 10^(-19) C` is the charge of each proton

`r=1\cdot 10^(-15) m` is the distance between the two protons

Substituting numbers into the formula, we find

`F=(9\cdot 10^9 N m^2 C^(-2)) ((1.6\cdot 10^(-19) C)^2)/((1\cdot 10^(-15) m^2)^2)=230.4 N \sim 230 N`