The potential energy of a system of two atoms as a function of their internuclear distance is shown in the diagram above. Which of the following is true regarding the forces between the atoms when their internuclear distance is \(x\) ?

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A system seeks to lower its potential energy. An analogue would be a boulder rolling to the bottom of a hill.

When two atoms are close to each other, the positively charged nuclei repel each other. There is a net repulsive force when the internuclear distance is low.

When two atoms are apart, the negatively charged electrons of one atom may be attracted to the nucleus of another atom, resulting in attractive force. As described by coulomb's law, this attractive force is based on internuclear distance and the magnitude of the charges.

As shown in the diagram, there is a sweet spot in which we get a certain combination of attractive and repulsive forces in a way to obtain the lowest potential energy. This is why atoms bond to each other.