Atoms nucleous

[36grit]

What's an atoms nucleous made of ? I'm not asking what's in there, but what are the "walls" made of? It must be extrememy strong to contain all that explosive power. Is this shell some kind of dimensional barrier of some kind ? Some kind of quantum force field? The surface tension between the quantum world and the real world? Does anybody know?

[Fuzzwood]

Why should it be explosive?

[granpa]

the strong force/nuclear force holds it together

[36grit]

the strong force/nuclear force holds it together

 

 

So a nuclear explosion is basically the destablization of the force that makes up the paramitter of the atom.

and that the nuclear force is that which keeps the things inside of the atom inside and the things outside of the atom outside with the exception of the electron and some photon energy. Are there other things that can penetrate this field?

[granpa]

the strong force is always attractive but is very short range.

it isnt an inverse square force

 

the strong force actually increases linearly with distance (inside the nucleus)

hence nucleons should resonate (vibrate with a fixed frequency) inside the nucleus

 

if you want to know why some nuclei spontaneously explode you should look at neutrons.

neutrons spontaneously undergo beta decay and change to a proton plus an electron plus a neutrino with considerable release of energy.

Edited April 18, 2011 by granpa

[36grit]

 

the strong force actually increases linearly with distance (inside the nucleus)

hence nucleons should resonate (vibrate with a fixed frequency) inside the nucleus

 

 

So the strong force has some center within the nucleous that gets stronger as it radiates out until it defines the very edge of the atom?

[lemur]

What's an atoms nucleous made of ? I'm not asking what's in there, but what are the "walls" made of? It must be extrememy strong to contain all that explosive power. Is this shell some kind of dimensional barrier of some kind ? Some kind of quantum force field? The surface tension between the quantum world and the real world? Does anybody know?

 

I've never heard of the atomic nucleus described as having containment walls. That makes it sound as if the nucleons are repelling each other intensely and would fragment into hydrogen immediately if no longer contained. Is that how you meant it or was the metaphor not intended that deeply?

 

btw, this is not intended to sidetrack the thread discussion. I am just trying to figure out how central this idea of "walls" is to the point of the OP.

Edited April 19, 2011 by lemur

[swansont]

Nuclei are bound together, so there is a potential well, i.e. it is analogous to having walls like a well. (Alpha decay is modeled this way.)