strong force

The strong force, also known as the strong nuclear force, is one of the four fundamental forces of nature. It holds protons and neutrons together in the nucleus of an atom, overcoming the repulsive electromagnetic force between positively charged protons. This force is extremely powerful but acts only over very short distances, typically on the scale of atomic nuclei. Without the strong force, atomic nuclei would not be stable, and the matter that makes up everything around us—including stars, planets, and living beings—could not exist as we know it.