Chapter 24, Problem 84A

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The relation between the mass number and the fission and fusion process needs to be explained.

Concept introduction:

The nuclear binding energycan be defined as the amount of energy needed to break one mole of nuclei into individual nucleons.

Answer to Problem 84A

Binding energy per nucleon reaches a maximum around the mass number 60. In nuclear fission atoms with a mass number higher than 60 splits into smaller atoms to increase their stability.

Explanation of Solution

The binding energy of a nucleon occurs around mass number of 60 which corresponds to iron.

So, the elements near iron are highly stable.

So the nucleon with mass number higher than 60 undergoes nuclear fission in order to come down to iron. And nucleon below mass number 60 undergo nuclear fusion to move up to roughly iron.

Conclusion

The larger the binding energy per nucleon, the more strongly the nucleons are held together, and the more stable the nucleus is. Less-stable atoms have lower binding energies per nucleon.