For example, let’s consider uuwen- = ae = js plotted in 4 27.07 Tcleon ae number A is P tion The binding energy pet nucleon as a func figure(1.7). MeV/ nucleon 4,9 . ae ay As 2c 4 ie ‘Be 238] “ 2He , a 92 6 > 2 4 3 2 2 17 T T TT T T TT oe T T ee 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 fe Massnumber A .that! However “ the term binding bat enc seed tier rather coning ess oa might have oem tought that 8S needa to bt £2 Bind micleons together As wth chef bone tis epee oe th me at for us itis etunly the measure of stabi of the eles Larges the Und the mucln, Tne aur stable the nuclens i and the rete the work that mst be dane to remove the Muleon raph shows the pattern of BEA trate met sling tm the pee table 10, o 0 30 100 150 Nucleon number A Figure 1.1: Graph of Binding, © 200 250 ys, Bhattac per unit nucleon vs mass number Important features of the graph: Fow things we can interprete from the above graph which are indeed very important observation. Following are those 1. Excluding the lighter nuclei, the average binding energy per mucleon is about 8 MeV. 2. The maximum binding energy per nucleon occurs at around mass number A = 50, and corresponds to the most stable nuclei. Iron nucleus Fe is located close to the peak with a binding energy per nucleon value of approximately 8.8 MeV. Its one of the most stable nuclides that exis. 3, Nuclei with very low or very high mass numbers have lesser binding energy per nucleon and are less stable because the Jeserthe-binging energy per nucleon, the easier it sto separate the nucleus into its constituent mpcleons. Debartment of Phesic Me Explain nuclear fusion from the binding energy curve? (Often comes in your final exam) Answer: ‘The fact that there is a peak in the binding energy curve in the region of stability near iron means that nuclet with Jow mass numbers may undergo nuclear fusion, There light nuclei are joined together under certain conditions so that the final product may have a greater binding energy per nucleon. Let’s have an idea what I mean by that of course with an example. H? has a binding energy of roughly 1.12 MeV per nucleon. Since the reactants in our equation have a total mass of 4 ‘imu, the total binding energy for two H? nuclei is: 41.12 MeV = 4.48 MeV. The product of the reaction, He*, has a binding energy of roughly 7.08 MeV per nucleon. ‘This gives us a total binding energy of: 4x 7.08 MeV = 28.32 MeV. Subtracting the initial binding energy from the final binding energy give us: 28.32 MeV - 4.48 MeV = 23.84 MeV which is the amount of energy given off in the fusion. A very destructive indee = f/Explain nuclear fission from the binding energy curve? (Also comes in your final exam) act Nuclei with high mass numbers may undergo nuclear fission, where the nucleus split to give two daughter nuclei with the release of neutrons. Remember the splitting of Uranium to Barium and Krypton and another three neutrons (HS 2nd year). The daughter nuclei (ie Ba & Kr) will possess a greater binding energy per nucleon as their position will be towardsthe left of the binding energy curve close to Fo", Thus fission also increases the binding energies of daughter nuclei 1.4.1 | Odd-Even rule of nuclear stability: We want to know why there is a radioactivity, What makes the nucleus a stable one? ‘There are no concrete theories to explain this, but there are only general obscrvations based on the available stable isotopes. It appears that neutron to proton (N/Z) ratio is the dominant factor in nuclear stability. ‘This ratio is close to 1 for atoms of elements with low atomic number and increases as the atomic number increases. Then how do we predict the nuclear stability? One 0