Reflecting on Nuclear Binding Energy

Which nucleus has the larger binding energy: one with A = 170 or one with A = 60?

1. The nuclei with A = 170.

2. It's impossible to know.

3. The nuclei with A = 60.

Answer:

The nucleus with a higher mass number has a larger binding energy.

Binding Energy of Nuclei is an interesting concept in nuclear physics that helps us understand the stability of atomic nuclei. The binding energy of a nucleus refers to the energy required to separate all of its nucleons.

In the context of the given data where we have two nuclei with different mass numbers, A = 170 and A = 60, we can determine which nucleus has the larger binding energy based on their mass numbers. The formula to calculate binding energy is E = (A * mH - Z * me) * c^2, where E is the binding energy, A is the mass number, mH is the mass of a hydrogen atom, Z is the atomic number, and me is the mass of an electron.

The nucleus with A = 170, having a higher mass number, will naturally have a larger binding energy compared to the nucleus with A = 60. This is because the nucleus with A = 170 contains more nucleons, resulting in a greater total mass of the nucleus. On the other hand, the nucleus with A = 60, having fewer nucleons, will have a smaller binding energy due to its lower total mass.

Therefore, based on the principles of nuclear physics and binding energy calculations, the correct answer to the question is 1. The nuclei with A = 170 has a larger binding energy than the nucleus with A = 60.