PhysicsCode 9702
Mass defect and nuclear binding energy
What this topic asks you to be able to do
- understand that E = mc² expresses the equivalence of mass and energy, and recall and use this equation
- represent basic nuclear reactions using nuclear equations in the layout 7NHeO H 14 2 4 8 17 1 1 ++
- define mass defect and binding energy, and make use of both terms
- sketch how binding energy per nucleon varies against nucleon number
- explain the definitions of nuclear fusion and nuclear fission
- account for why binding energy per nucleon matters in nuclear reactions, including nuclear fusion and nuclear fission
- work out the energy given off in nuclear reactions from E = c²∆m