MODERN PHYSICS COURSE

FOTO YANG TOPICS 6:

RELEVAN
The Binding Energy

DIDIK SETYAWARNO
TEACHING STAFF at FMIPA UNIVERSITAS NEGERI YOGYAKARTA

Didik Setyawarno_FMIPA UNY

 The Mass Defect
There
The are twodefect
mass typesisofthe
nucleus: proton
difference and neutron.
between the
When
rest the
massZ proton and Nand
of a nucleus neutron are brought
the sum closer
of the rest
together,
massesthe nuclear
of its force binds
constituent them to form atoms
nucleons.

The mass of nucleus is not equal to the mass of Z

proton + mass N neutron, because some of the
masses have been changed to be the binding energy
of the nucleus.
The mass that is lost to the binding energy of the
nucleus is called the mass defect.

Didik Setyawarno_FMIPA UNY

 The Mass Defect
The mass defect is the difference between the rest
mass of a nucleus (proton and netron) and the sum
of the rest masses of its constituent nucleons
(nuclear mass).

 m  ZM p  NM n  M nuclear

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 Example 1:
Find the mass defect of the C
atom!

Consider the carbon-12 atom (12.00000 u):

Nuclear mass = Mass of atom – Electron masses
= 12.00000 u – 6(0.00055 u)
Mnuclear = 11.996706 u

The nuclear mass of the carbon-12 atom has this mass.

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 Example (Continued)
Nuclear mass of carbon-12 nucleus: 11.996706
Proton: 1.007276 u Neutron: 1.008665 u
The nucleus contains 6 protons and 6 neutrons:

6 p = 6(1.007276 u) = 6.043656 u
6 n = 6(1.008665 u) = 6.051990 u
Total mass of parts: = 12.095646 u
Mass defect mD = 12.095646 u – 11.996706 u

mD = 0.098940 u
Didik Setyawarno_FMIPA UNY
 The Binding Energy
The
The binding energy EEBB of
binding energy of a
a nucleus
nucleus isis the
the energy
energy
required
required to
to separate
separate aa nucleus
nucleus into
into its
its constituent
constituent
parts.
parts.

EB = mDc2 where c2 = 931.5 MeV/u

The binding energy for the carbon-12 example is:

EB = (0.098940 u)(931.5 MeV/u)

Binding EB for C-12: EB = 92.2 MeV

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 Binding Energy per Nucleon
An An important
importantwayway
of comparing thethe
of comparing nuclei of of
nuclei atoms
isatoms
finding their binding
is finding energy energy
their binding per nucleon:
per nucleon:

Binding energy EB =  MeV 

per nucleon  nucleon 
A  
For our C-12 example A = 12 and:

EB 92.2 MeV
  7.68 MeV
nucleon
A 12

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 Formula for Mass Defect
The following formula is useful for mass defect:
Mass defect mD  ZmH  Nmn   M 
mD
mH = 1.007825 u; mn = 1.008665 u
Z is atomic number; N is neutron number; M is
mass of atom (including electrons).

By By
using thethe
using mass of of
mass thethe
hydrogen
hydrogenatom, youyou
atom, avoid
the necessity
avoid of subtracting
the necessity electron
of subtracting masses.
electron masses.

Didik Setyawarno_FMIPA UNY

 Example 2:
Find the mass defect for the nucleus of 4
2 He
helium-4. (M = 4.002603 u)
Mass defect mD  ZmH  Nmn   M 
mD

ZmH = (2)(1.007825 u) = 2.015650 u

Nmn = (2)(1.008665 u) = 2.017330 u
M = 4.002603 u (From nuclide tables)

mD = (2.015650 u + 2.017330 u) - 4.002603 u

mDD==0.030377
m 0.030377uu

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 Example 2 (Cont.) Find the binding energy per
nucleon for helium-4. (mD = 0.030377 u)
EEB ==mmDcc22 where c 2 = 931.5 MeV/u
where c2 = 931.5 MeV/u
B D

EB = (0.030377 u)(931.5 MeV/u) = 28.3 MeV

A Atotal
totalofof28.3
28.3MeV
MeVisisrequired
requiredtoTo
tear apart
tear apartthe
nucleons thefrom the He-4
nucleons fromatom.
the He-4 atom.

Since there are four nucleons, we find that

EB 28.3 MeV
  7.07 MeV
nucleon
A 4

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 Binding Energy Vs. Mass Number
Curve shows that EB
increases with A and
peaks at A = 60.
Heavier nuclei are
less stable.
Green region is for
most stable atoms.

For heavier nuclei, energy is released when they

break up (fission). For lighter nuclei, energy is
released when they fuse together (fusion).
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 Stability Curve
Nuclear
Nuclear particles
particles are
are 140
held
held together
together by
by aa Stable

Neutron number N
120
nuclear
nuclear strong
strong force.
force. nuclei
100

A stable nucleus remains 80

forever, but as the ratio 60
of N/Z gets larger, the 40
atoms decay. Z=N
20

Elements
Elements with
with ZZ >
> 82
82 20 40 60 80 100
are
are all
all unstable.
unstable. Atomic number Z

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 Exercises
• Calculate the total binding energy and the binding
energy per nucleon for 56
26𝐹𝑒 the most common stable
isotope of iron!
• What is the binding energy of the last neutron in
6𝐶 !
13

• What is the difference between the binding energies

of 32𝐻𝑒 and 31𝐻 !
• Calculate the binding energy per nucleon for 42
98
𝑀𝑜 !

Didik Setyawarno_FMIPA UNY

 THANK YOU

Didik Setyawarno_FMIPA UNY