Binding Energy Per Nucleon Peak
Binding energy per nucleon highest around?
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About This Question
- Subject
- physics
- Chapter
- atoms and nuclei
- Topic
- binding energy per nucleon peak
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Year
- 2025
Solution
Correct Answer:
Iron (Fe)
- Stability Measure: Binding energy per nucleon (BE/A) determines the stability of a nucleus. Higher BE/A means more stability.
- Binding Energy Curve: As we look at the curve of BE/A vs. Mass Number (A):
- It rises sharply for light nuclei.
- It reaches a maximum of about 8.8 MeV per nucleon.
- Peak Identity: The peak occurs for elements like Iron (56Fe).
- Consequences: Nuclei lighter than iron tend to undergo fusion, and those much heavier tend toward fission to reach this more stable configuration.
This medium difficulty physics question is from the chapter atoms and nuclei, covering the topic of binding energy per nucleon peak. It appeared in the 2025 exam.
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