14.2 Nuclear Binding Energy Flashcards
What do we call the difference in mass between the starting nucleus (LHS) and the constituents (RHS)?
Mass deficit
What is the relationship between mass and energy?
E = mc^2
So what does any change in mass mean?
Energy release or intake
What is mass deficit equal to?
the energy converted into or from mass
What is the nuclear binding energy?
Energy required to separate all nucleons in the nucleus of an element.
What is nuclear binding energy usually measured in?
MeV
What is nuclear binding energy usually called?
just binding energy
What can binding energy be given in?
Units per nucleon.
What is binding energy per nucleon used for?
Comparing the binding energies of different nuclei
What does a higher binding energy mean?
More energy is required to seperate the nucleons from the nuclei
What does a graph of nuclear binding energy against elements (nucleon number) look like
Starts of steep until peak is reached. Then decreases at along a very shallow line.
What element is at the peak of the graph? What does it mean for that elements
iron (Fe)
it is the most stable
For up to iron what does the graph represent (going right)
Nuclear fusion
from iron onwards to the right what does the graph represent?
nuclear fission
how can we calculate the mass deficit and hence energy released/absorbed?
Work out binding energy of LHS
Work out binding energy of RHS
Work out change using LHS-RHS
Change to energy from MeV
