What force acts as the Coulomb barrier that nuclei must overcome to fuse?
Answer
The natural repulsion between positively charged nuclei
In the interior of a star, the atomic nuclei are all positively charged. According to fundamental electromagnetic principles, like charges repel one another, creating a barrier known as the Coulomb barrier. This force keeps nuclei apart under normal conditions. For nuclear fusion to occur, the density and temperature within the stellar core must be high enough to force these nuclei to collide at extreme velocities. These velocities must be sufficient to overcome the repulsion of the Coulomb barrier, allowing the nuclei to get close enough for the strong nuclear force to bind them together into a heavier element.
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