Mass Defect and Nuclear Binding Energy
 

Mass Defect and Nuclear Binding Energy problem 1


When a neutron is captured by a uranium-235 nucleus, the outcome may be represented by the nuclear equation shown below.




    • Use the equation to determine the value of .


    • State the name of the particle represented by the symbol .


  • Some data for the nuclei in the reaction are given in the table below.




    Use data from the table to


    • determine the binding energy, in , of a nucleus of uranium-235,


    • show that the binding energy per nucleon of a nucleus of uranium-235 is .


  • The kinetic energy of the neutron before the reaction is negligible. Use data from (b) to calculate the total energy, in , released in this reaction.


 

main author and content editor: Ebenezer Famadewa