GRAVITATIONAL ORIGIN OF THE NUCLEAR-FORCE

Arguments are given for a model of the nucleon consisting of approximately equals 10**2**0 massive constituents of mass approximately equals 10** minus **5 g and radius approximately equals 10** minus **3**3 cm. A negative gravitational binding energy comparable in magnitude to the constituent mass-energy accounts for the observed small mass of the nucleon. In this picture the nuclear force arises when one penetrates the nucleon and senses the gravitational force of the many massive partons which are then no longer ″hidden″ by the negative gravitational binding energy.