An atom's nucleus is composed of two types of particles: protons and neutrons. Protons carry a positive electric charge, while neutrons have no electric charge and are neutral. Both protons and neutrons are collectively known as nucleons.
The strong nuclear force is responsible for holding the nucleus together. This force is one of the fundamental forces of nature, along with gravity, electromagnetism, and the weak nuclear force. The strong nuclear force is incredibly powerful but acts only at extremely short distances, confined to the nucleus.
The strong nuclear force overcomes the electrostatic repulsion between positively charged protons, which would otherwise cause the nucleus to disintegrate. It binds protons and neutrons together by exchanging particles called gluons, which transmit the strong force. The interactions between nucleons via the exchange of gluons result in the attractive force that holds the nucleus together.
It's worth noting that the strong nuclear force only acts within the nucleus and has no significant influence on the behavior of electrons in the electron cloud surrounding the nucleus. Electrons are bound to the nucleus by the electromagnetic force, which is responsible for most of the interactions between atoms in chemical reactions.