Hideki Yukawa, who received the Nobel Prize in 1949, is well known for which discovery?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 3 i.e. Theory of nuclear forces.
Hideki Yukawa, a renowned Japanese theoretical physicist, received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1949 for his pioneering work on the theory of nuclear forces. He is best known for proposing the existence of the meson, a subatomic particle that mediates the strong nuclear force between protons and neutrons in the atomic nucleus. His groundbreaking theory, introduced in 1935, helped explain how atomic nuclei remain stable despite the repulsive electromagnetic force between positively charged protons. Yukawa’s prediction was later confirmed with the discovery of the pion (a type of meson), marking a major advancement in particle physics and quantum theory.