AQA A-Level Physics Paper 1, June 2022: Question 11

1 mark · Easy difficulty · Multiple Choice

Identify the correct row describing the variation of the strong nuclear force with distance in terms of being attractive and repulsive.

Practise this question

Question

Multiple-choice question 11 asking which row describes the variation with distance of the strong nuclear force, with options A to D providing different distance ranges for when the force is attractive and repulsive.
Question text

11 Which row describes the variation with distance of the strong nuclear force?

[1 mark]

Attractive Repulsive

A beyond 3 fm from 0.5 fm to 3 fm

B from 0.5 fm to 3 fm beyond 3 fm

C from 0.5 fm to 3 fm up to 0.5 fm

D up to 0.5 fm from 0.5 fm to 3 fm

Mark scheme

Show the mark scheme The mark scheme indicates that the correct answer is C, showing that the strong nuclear force is attractive from 0.5 fm to 3 fm and repulsive up to 0.5 fm.

11 C (AO1) from 0.5 fm to 3 fm up to 0.5 fm

How to answer it

Variation of the Strong Nuclear Force with Distance

What this question tests

This question assesses your factual recall and understanding of fundamental particle physics (AO1), specifically the variation of the strong nuclear force (sometimes called the strong interaction) between nucleons as a function of separation distance measured in femtometres (fm).

Question 1.1

Exam Breakdown & Solution

✅ Correct Answer: C

Attractive: from 0.5 fm to 3 fm

Repulsive: up to 0.5 fm (less than 0.5 fm)

Awarded 1 mark for selecting row C.

💡 Key Knowledge

  • The strong nuclear force has a very short range.
  • Below separations of 0.5 fm , the force becomes strongly repulsive, which prevents nucleons from crushing into each other.
  • Between 0.5 fm and roughly 3.0 fm (or 3 fm), the force is attractive, holding nuclei together against electrostatic repulsion.
  • Beyond 3 fm , the strong nuclear force drops effectively to zero.

🧠 Exam Technique

Memorise the key distance thresholds ( 0.5 fm and 3 fm ). When faced with a multiple-choice table:

  • Check the repulsive region first—it occurs at the shortest distances (up to 0.5 fm). This immediately rules out rows A and B.
  • Confirm the attractive region spans from 0.5 fm up to about 3 fm, leading directly to option C.

❌ Common Errors

  • Confusing the attractive and repulsive distance ranges by mixing up rows B and C.
  • Assuming the strong nuclear force operates over long distances (like gravity or electromagnetism) rather than having a strict cutoff at ~3 fm.

Topics

Physics · 3.2 Particles and radiation

Question and mark scheme from the AQA A-Level Physics examination, Paper 1, June 2022. QuestionVault is an independent revision resource; questions remain the copyright of the awarding body.