Strong nuclear force

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The strong nuclear force, which is the force responsible for binding protons and neutrons together in atomic nuclei, was first observed during the quark epoch, which occurred approximately 10⁻¹² to 10⁻⁶ seconds after the Big Bang. At this time, the universe was incredibly hot and dense, with temperatures in excess of 10¹² Kelvin, which is much hotter than the core of a star.

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During the quark epoch, the fundamental particles of matter had not yet formed, and the universe was filled with a hot, dense plasma of quarks and gluons. As the universe expanded and cooled, the quarks began to combine to form hadrons, which are composite particles that include protons and neutrons. This process is known as hadronization, and it was during this process that the strong nuclear force was first observed.

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The strong nuclear force is one of the four fundamental forces of nature, and it is responsible for binding protons and neutrons together in atomic nuclei. It is the strongest of the four fundamental forces, but it has a very short range, which is why it is only observed in the nucleus of an atom. Without the strong nuclear force, the protons in atomic nuclei would repel each other due to their positive charges, and the universe as we know it would not exist.

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In summary, the strong nuclear force was first observed during the quark epoch, as the universe expanded and cooled enough for quarks to combine into hadrons. This process of hadronization

allowed for the observation of the strong nuclear force, which is a fundamental force of nature and is responsible for binding atomic nuclei together.