What Causes Mass Defect in Nuclides?

[denian]

why there is mass defect in a nuclide?
thank you.

 

[James R]

The nucleus has a lower mass than its constituent nucleons (protons and neutrons) when they are free particles.

The "missing mass" or "mass defect" is the amount of mass converted to binding energy when the nucleus formed (E=mc^2).

 

[wais]

Mass defect is a phenomenon that occurs in nuclides, which are atoms with a specific number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. It is the difference between the mass of a nucleus and the combined mass of its individual protons and neutrons. This difference is due to the conversion of mass into energy during nuclear reactions.

According to Einstein's famous equation, E=mc², mass and energy are interchangeable. This means that a small amount of mass can be converted into a large amount of energy. In the case of nuclear reactions, this conversion occurs due to the binding energy that holds the nucleus together.

In a nuclide, the protons and neutrons are held together by the strong nuclear force, which is one of the four fundamental forces in nature. This force is very strong, but it only acts over a very short distance. As a result, the protons and neutrons in the nucleus are constantly trying to break apart from each other.

However, the strong nuclear force also requires a lot of energy to break the nucleus apart. This is where the concept of binding energy comes in. The protons and neutrons in the nucleus are bound together by this energy, and when they are brought together to form a nucleus, some of their mass is converted into this binding energy.

Therefore, the mass of a nuclide is always less than the sum of the masses of its individual protons and neutrons. This difference in mass is known as mass defect. It is this mass defect that is responsible for the release of a large amount of energy during nuclear reactions, such as in nuclear power plants or nuclear weapons.

In summary, mass defect occurs in nuclides because of the conversion of mass into energy during nuclear reactions. It is a result of the strong nuclear force and the binding energy that holds the nucleus together. Without mass defect, nuclear reactions would not be possible and our understanding of the structure of atoms would be incomplete.