What is the binding energy per nucleon for a stable nucleus?
Practice Questions
Q1
What is the binding energy per nucleon for a stable nucleus?
Less than 1 MeV
About 8 MeV
More than 10 MeV
Zero
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What is the binding energy per nucleon for a stable nucleus?
Step 1: Understand what a nucleus is. A nucleus is the center part of an atom, made up of protons and neutrons.
Step 2: Learn about binding energy. Binding energy is the energy that holds the protons and neutrons together in the nucleus.
Step 3: Know what 'per nucleon' means. 'Per nucleon' means we are looking at the binding energy for each individual proton or neutron in the nucleus.
Step 4: Recognize that stable nuclei have a specific range of binding energy. For stable nuclei, this value is typically around 8 MeV (mega-electronvolts).
Step 5: Conclude that the binding energy per nucleon for a stable nucleus is approximately 8 MeV.