Two lithium nuclei in a lithium vapour at room temperature do not combine to form a carbon nucleus because

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KollegeApply · Accepted Answer

Coulomb repulsion does not allow the nuclei to come very close. Lithium atom contains 3 protons and 3 neutrons in the nucleus and 3 valence electrons. When two lithium nuclei are brought together, they repel each other. The attractive nuclear forces being short-range are insignificant as compared to the electrostatic repulsion. Thus, the nuclei do not combine to form carbon atom because of coulomb repulsion.

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