Nuclear Energy

Question 1

What is a unified atomic mass unit (u) equal to?

Answer 1

1/12 of the mass of one carbon-12 atom

Question 2

What is meant by binding energy?

Answer 2

The energy that is supplied to dissociate a nucleus into its constituent protons and neutrons

Question 3

What is meant by mass defect?

Answer 3

The difference in mass between the constituent nucleons and the bound nucleus

Question 4

Describe a binding energy per nucleon graph

Answer 4

› Iron-56 is the most stable element (with 56 nucleons)
› The higher binding energy per nucleon means the element is more stable
› Nucleons move towards a higher stability
› In doing so there is a loss of mass, which is released as energy due to E=mc^2