The Liquid Drop Model

The Liquid Drop Model treats the nucleus of an atom like a drop of liquid, emphasizing that protons and neutrons (collectively called nucleons) are bound together by strong forces, similar to molecules in a droplet. It accounts for the nucleus's overall stability by considering factors like the attraction between nucleons, the electrostatic repulsion between protons, surface effects, and energy balances. While it simplifies the complex quantum interactions into a cohesive analogy, it effectively explains nuclear properties such as binding energy, stability, and how nuclei behave during fission or fusion processes.