The Effect of Binding Energy on Mass

In summary, binding energy is the amount of energy required to keep the nucleus of an atom together. This energy has a direct effect on the mass of an atom, as the more binding energy an atom has, the more massive it will be. This is due to the fact that the mass of an atom is a result of the combined masses of its protons, neutrons, and electrons. Therefore, any changes in the binding energy will also impact the mass of an atom. This concept is crucial in understanding nuclear reactions and the stability of elements.
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Dileep Ramisetty
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TL;DR Summary
The binding energy being within the different system of force or interactions, how does it vary mass?
Starting to explore quantum mechanics, I read strong nuclear force that binds protons and neutron together in nucleus of atom, gives atom its mass. More binding energy means more mass of atom. Hence the query that, for example there are two magnets having a force F1. And we have the same size magnets with higher force F2, when they are placed on weighing machine reads the same weight as the interactions of force are within the system and not with the objects external to system. Similarly, the binding energy being within the system, how does it vary mass.
 
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Are you referring to magnets or what? Or if binding energy of the magnets would result in a scale showing less mass?

Or atomic nuclei?
 
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Dileep Ramisetty said:
TL;DR Summary: The binding energy being within the different system of force or interactions, how does it vary mass?
Generally, the mass of a nucleus is less than the total mass of the constituent protons and neutrons (due to the binding energy, which is energy lost from the system when the nucleus forms). See, for example:

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/NucEne/nucbin.html
 
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Dileep Ramisetty said:
Starting to explore quantum mechanics, I read strong nuclear force that binds protons and neutron together in nucleus of atom, gives atom its mass.

That effect is mainly inside the protons an neutrons. For example:
Wikipedia said:
For protons, the sum of the rest masses of the three valence quarks (two up quarks and one down quark) is approximately 9.4 MeV/c2, while the proton's total mass is about 938.3 MeV/c2.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_chromodynamics_binding_energy
 
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Dileep Ramisetty said:
I read
Where? Can you give a reference?

Dileep Ramisetty said:
strong nuclear force that binds protons and neutron together in nucleus of atom, gives atom its mass.
Not really. It's not the binding of protons and neutrons, it's the confinement of quarks. Each individual proton and neutron has a mass that is much larger than the sum of the rest masses of its constituent quarks. The remaining mass is believed to be due to energy associated with the strong interaction that confines the quarks inside each individual proton or neutron.

At the level of protons and neutrons combining to make atomic nuclei, the total mass of a given nucleus will be less than the sum of the masses of its individual protons and neutrons; in other words, the binding energy of protons and neutrons in the nucleus is negative, as with ordinary bound systems that we are familiar with.
 
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1. What is binding energy?

Binding energy is the energy required to hold together the particles of an atom's nucleus. It is the difference between the mass of the nucleus and the sum of the masses of its individual protons and neutrons.

2. How does binding energy affect mass?

The binding energy of a nucleus is a form of potential energy. According to Einstein's famous equation E=mc², this potential energy contributes to the mass of the nucleus. Therefore, the higher the binding energy, the higher the mass of the nucleus.

3. What factors affect binding energy?

The main factors that affect binding energy are the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus, as well as the nuclear force that holds the nucleus together. The closer the protons and neutrons are to each other, the stronger the nuclear force and the higher the binding energy.

4. How does binding energy relate to nuclear stability?

Nuclei with higher binding energy are more stable because they require more energy to break them apart. This is why elements with higher atomic numbers tend to be more stable, as they have more protons and neutrons and thus higher binding energy.

5. Can binding energy be converted into other forms of energy?

Yes, binding energy can be converted into other forms of energy, such as heat or light. This is the principle behind nuclear reactions, where the breaking apart or joining together of nuclei releases or absorbs energy, respectively.

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