The liquid drop model represents nuclei as collections of nucleons (protons and neutrons) interacting via a nuclear glue known as binding energy. It considers the nucleus’s surface tension, volume, and Coulomb repulsion, leading to a spherical shape for stable nuclei. A nucleus’s mass defect, related to its binding energy, indicates its stability. The model explains nuclear shapes by incorporating surface and Coulomb effects, predicting shape instabilities in certain nuclei.
