>>Perhaps another approach will help..
>>
>>Atoms have in them the behavior that they will fly apart if the force that is holding them together is induced to release them. That is, their 'natural desire' is to separate much like two north or south ends of a magnet wish to do. When this happens we can get atomic bombs. The explosion is in so many words a release of energy, not the creation of energy. But, when this happens the violent expulsive forces exhibited are absolutely consistent with the observed laws of nature. It's the force holding them together that is evidently violating known laws of physics. But, that's a phenominon that is current. That is, it's ongoing.
>>
>>So, given this then we must conclude that the force holding the atoms together is greater than the force already in the atoms that 'desires' to exit.
>>
>>That leaves us at least two fundamental questions:
>>
>>1) What force originally placed the current energy in the atoms in their current form?
>
>The "strong" force.
>
>>2) What force is holding them together now?
>
>The "strong" force.
>
>
>Physicists consider there are four basic forces in nature: gravitation, the "strong" force, the "weak" force, and the electric/magnetic forces.
>
>The "strong" force holds protons together - at a short distance, this force is stronger than the repulsive electrostatic force.
>
>At longer distances, it seems that this force has no influence.
>
>Hilmar.

Now there are only three. The electromagnetic force and the weak force have been shown to be different manifestations of the same fundatmental force.
JLK