Question

What will be the nature of inter-atomic forces when deforming force applied on anobject (i) increases, (ii) decreases the inter-atomic separation?

Answer 1

The nature of the atomic forces in both the cases will be same ,i.e., attractive. It will not change with increase or decrease in the inter-atomic separation. The atomic particles however, will elongate in the first case till to the point they become detached with each other (at this point the separating force will be more than attractive inter atomic forces) while in the later case the inter atomic particles will become highly compressed.