Question

The density (in \( \text{kg m}^{-3} \)) of nuclear matter is of the order of

• A. $ 10^{21} $
• B. $ 10^{17} $
• C. $ 10^{12} $
• D. $ 10^{8} $

Hint:

Nuclear density is a fundamental property of atomic nuclei and is approximately $ 2.3 \times 10^{17} \, kg m}^{-3} $. It is independent of the size of the nucleus.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Known Information.
Nuclear matter refers to the material inside atomic nuclei, which is extremely dense.
The density of nuclear matter is a well-known physical quantity and is typically on the order of \( 10^{17} \, \text{kg m}^{-3} \).
Step 2: Understanding Nuclear Density.
Nuclear density is derived from the fact that all nuclei have approximately the same density, regardless of their size. This is because the volume of a nucleus scales with the number of nucleons (protons and neutrons), and the mass also scales linearly with the number of nucleons. Thus, the density remains constant across different nuclei. The approximate value of nuclear density is: $$ \rho_{\text{nuclear}} \approx 2.3 \times 10^{17} \, \text{kg m}^{-3} $$ Step 3: Order of Magnitude.
The order of magnitude of nuclear density is: $$ 10^{17} \, \text{kg m}^{-3} $$ Final Answer: \( \boxed{10^{17}} \)