Uranium-238 is less stable than oxygen-16. What accounts for this difference?
(A) Uranium is a solid, while oxygen is a gas.
(B) Unlike oxygen-16, uranium-238 has a nucleus in which repulsive electric forces surpass the strong nuclear forces.
(C) Oxygen-16 has fewer electrons than uranium-238.
(D) Uranium-238 has fewer neutrons than oxygen-16.
(E) Unlike uranium-238, oxygen-16 has a nucleus in which the strong nuclear forces are overcome by repulsive electric forces.
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E is the best answer
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The correct answer is (B) Unlike oxygen-16, uranium-238 has a nucleus in which repulsive electric forces surpass the strong nuclear forces.
Uranium-238 is less stable than oxygen-16 because it has a larger nucleus with more protons and neutrons. This leads to a stronger repulsive force between positively charged protons. In contrast, the strong nuclear force acts to hold the protons and neutrons together in the nucleus.
For smaller nuclei like oxygen-16, the attractive strong nuclear force is able to overcome the repulsive electric force, resulting in a more stable nucleus. However, for larger nuclei like uranium-238, the repulsive electric forces become stronger and can surpass the strong nuclear force, making the nucleus less stable.
The correct answer to this question is (B) Unlike oxygen-16, uranium-238 has a nucleus in which repulsive electric forces surpass the strong nuclear forces.
To understand this, we need to consider the structure of the atoms and their stability. An atom consists of a nucleus at the center, which contains protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons in energy levels or orbitals.
In the case of uranium-238, it has 92 protons in its nucleus, giving it a large positive charge. This positive charge creates an electrostatic force of repulsion between the protons. However, there is also a strong nuclear force that acts between the protons and the neutrons, binding them together. This strong nuclear force is stronger than the electrostatic force, which allows the nucleus to remain stable.
On the other hand, oxygen-16 has 8 protons in its nucleus. With a smaller positive charge, the repulsive electric forces between the protons are less significant compared to uranium-238. Furthermore, oxygen-16 has 8 neutrons in its nucleus, providing additional stability. As a result, oxygen-16 is more stable than uranium-238.
Therefore, the correct explanation for the difference in stability between uranium-238 and oxygen-16 is that uranium-238 has a nucleus in which repulsive electric forces surpass the strong nuclear forces.