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#per nucleon

6 public questions tagged with this topic.

Radioactive Decay, Nuclear Forces and Stability

A nucleus with mass number 18 has a binding energy of \( 144 \, \text{MeV} \). What is its binding energy per nucleon?

**Nuclear force** strong, short-range ~1 fm, attractive, charge independent, saturated in large nuclei because each nucleon interacts only with neighbors, not all others, so BE/A saturates ~8 MeV, primary factor limiting stable nuclei size is Coulomb repulsion between protons growing as Z² vs strong force saturating, beyond Z≈83 no stable nuclei, competition between Coulomb and strong. Ebₙ = (E_b/A) . E_b = 144 MeV , A = 18 . Ebₙ = (144/18) = 8.0 MeV . Using E_n = -13.6/n² eV, r_n = n² a₀, L = n h/2π, R = R₀ A^¹/³, BE = Δm c² and 1 u = 931.5 MeV, evaluation yields

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Atoms and Nuclei > Radioactive Decay, Nuclear Forces and Stability

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Radioactive Decay, Nuclear Forces and Stability

A nucleus with mass number 28 has a binding energy of \( 224 \, \text{MeV} \). What is its binding energy per nucleon?

**Stability** belt of stability N≈Z for light, N>Z for heavy due to Coulomb, beyond leads to alpha decay, fission, stability requires balance, nuclear force saturated explains constant density and BE/A. Ebₙ = (E_b/A) . E_b = 224 MeV , A = 28 . Ebₙ = (224/28) = 8.0 MeV . Using E_n = -13.6/n² eV, r_n = n² a₀, L = n h/2π, R = R₀ A^¹/³, BE = Δm c² and 1 u = 931.5 MeV, evaluation yields 8.0 MeV, consistent with Bohr model and nuclear binding energy systematics.

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Atoms and Nuclei > Radioactive Decay, Nuclear Forces and Stability

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Radioactive Decay, Nuclear Forces and Stability

A nucleus has a binding energy of \( 127.5 \, \text{MeV} \) and mass number 16. What is its binding energy per nucleon?

**Radioactive decay** occurs when nucleus unstable, alpha decay emits He-4, beta decay neutron→proton+electron+antineutrino, gamma decay photon emission, decay law N=N₀ e^{-λt}, half-life T½=ln2/λ, nuclear density ~10¹⁷ kg/m³, nuclear force saturated means BE/A constant for A>20. Ebₙ = (E_b/A) . E_b = 127.5 MeV , A = 16 . Ebₙ = (127.5/16) ≈ 7.97 MeV ≈ 8 MeV . Using E_n = -13.6/n² eV, r_n = n² a₀, L = n h/2π, R = R₀ A^¹/³, BE = Δm c² and 1 u = 931.5 MeV, evaluation yields 8.0 MeV, consistent with Bohr model and nuclear binding energy systematics.

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Atoms and Nuclei > Radioactive Decay, Nuclear Forces and Stability

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Nuclear Size, Density and Structure

A nucleus with mass number 60 has a binding energy of \( 510 \, \text{MeV} \). What is its binding energy per nucleon?

**Nuclear radius** R = R₀ A^{1/3}, R₀=1.2×10⁻¹⁵ m, A mass number, for A=16 R=1.2×10⁻¹⁵×2.52=3.02×10⁻¹⁵ m, for A=36 R=1.2×10⁻¹⁵×3.30=3.96×10⁻¹⁵ m, nuclear density ρ = mass/volume = (A×1.66×10⁻²⁷ kg)/(4/3 π R³) ≈2.3×10¹⁷ kg/m³ independent of A, extremely high, mass 3.67×10⁻²⁷ kg radius 2.0×10⁻¹⁵ m gives density =3.67×10⁻²⁷/(4/3 π×8×10⁻⁴⁵)=1.09×10¹⁷ kg/m³. Ebₙ = (E_b/A) . E_b = 510 MeV , A = 60 . Ebₙ = (510/60) = 8.5 MeV . Using E_n = -13.6/n² eV, r_n = n² a₀, L = n h/2π, R = R₀ A^¹/³, BE = Δm c² and 1 u = 931.5 MeV, evaluation yields 8.5 MeV, consistent with Bohr model and nuclear binding energy

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Atoms and Nuclei > Nuclear Size, Density and Structure

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Nuclear Size, Density and Structure

A nucleus with mass number 70 has a binding energy of \( 595 \, \text{MeV} \). What is its binding energy per nucleon?

**Nuclear density** nearly constant because R ∝ A^{1/3} so volume ∝ A, mass ∝ A, ratio constant, ~10¹⁷ kg/m³, 10¹⁴ times water density, shows nucleus compact, nuclear force short-range saturated, mass number 16 radius ~3×10⁻¹⁵ m, mass number from radius R=5.4×10⁻¹⁵ m => A=(R/R₀)³=(4.5)³=91. Ebₙ = (E_b/A) . E_b = 595 MeV , A = 70 . Ebₙ = (595/70) ≈ 8.5 MeV . Using E_n = -13.6/n² eV, r_n = n² a₀, L = n h/2π, R = R₀ A^¹/³, BE = Δm c² and 1 u = 931.5 MeV, evaluation yields 8.5 MeV, consistent with Bohr model and nuclear binding energy systematics.

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Atoms and Nuclei > Nuclear Size, Density and Structure

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Mass Defect, Binding Energy and Binding Energy per Nucleon

The binding energy of a nucleus is \( 240 \, \text{MeV} \) and its mass number is 30. What is the binding energy per nuc

**Binding energy calculation** from mass defect, for nucleus mass number 28 BE 224 MeV BE/A=8 MeV, A=18 BE 144 MeV BE/A=8 MeV, BE/A indicates stability, fusion of light nuclei and fission of heavy release energy because product has higher BE/A, difference released. Ebₙ = (E_b/A) . E_b = 240 MeV , A = 30 . Ebₙ = (240/30) = 8 MeV . Using E_n = -13.6/n² eV, r_n = n² a₀, L = n h/2π, R = R₀ A^¹/³, BE = Δm c² and 1 u = 931.5 MeV, evaluation yields 8.0 MeV, consistent with Bohr model and nuclear binding energy systematics.

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Atoms and Nuclei > Mass Defect, Binding Energy and Binding Energy per Nucleon

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