During fusion (in the Sun), how is the repulsive effect of the strong nuclear force overcome?

Grilletta1m

Grilletta1m

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2022-08-21

During fusion (in the Sun), how is the repulsive effect of the strong nuclear force overcome?

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Mohammad Hampton

Mohammad Hampton

Beginner2022-08-22Added 7 answers

The nuclear force is strongly attractive as pointed out by Michael Walsby above but as the nucleons come closer together it then becomes powerfully repulsive because of the Pauli exclusion principle. this means for the pair of attracting nucleons there exists a potential well with a "bottom" in it, and the distance at which the well bottoms out furnishes an equlibrium separation distance for the bound nucleons. This in turn is responsible for the fundamental size of nuclei in general.
Nuclear fusion occurs at separation distances larger than those at which the repulsive component becomes dominant, so that part of the potential does not have to be overcome in order for fusion to occur.

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