1. Strong nuclear force: This force is responsible for holding the protons and neutrons together in the nucleus of an atom. It is the strongest force in nature, but its range is limited to about 1 femtometer (10⁻¹⁵ meters).
2. Weak nuclear force: This force is responsible for radioactive decay, where a neutron can decay into a proton, electron, and antineutrino. Its range is even shorter than the strong force, on the order of 10⁻¹⁸ meters.
These forces are referred to as short-range forces because their influence decreases rapidly with distance. In contrast, long-range forces like gravity and electromagnetism have an infinite range, albeit their strength weakens with distance.
