Mass Defect and Nuclear Binding Energy
 

Mass Defect and Nuclear Binding Energy problem 19


The controlled reaction between deuterium () and tritium () has involved ongoing research for many years. The reaction may be summarised as




where .


Binding energies per nucleon are shown in the table below.




  • Suggest why binding energy per nucleon for the neutron is not quoted.


  • Calculate the mass defect, in , of a helium nucleus.


    • State the name of the type of reaction illustrated by this nuclear equation.


    • Determine the binding energy per nucleon, in , of tritium ().


 

main author and content editor: Ebenezer Famadewa