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Danyon
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What's the mass difference between a hydrogen atom and it's constituent particles when they are free, I'm talking about the proton and the electron, not the quarks that make up the proton.
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Thanksmy2cts said:The binding energy (13.7 eV) divided by c^2.
The mass defect of a hydrogen atom is the difference between the mass of a hydrogen atom and the combined masses of its constituent particles (proton and electron). This difference is caused by the conversion of some mass into energy during the formation of the atom.
The mass defect of a hydrogen atom can be calculated using Einstein's famous equation E=mc², where E is the energy released during the formation of the atom, m is the mass defect, and c is the speed of light.
The mass defect of a hydrogen atom is important because it provides evidence for the existence of nuclear binding energy, which is the energy that holds the nucleus of an atom together. It also plays a crucial role in understanding the stability and energy release of nuclear reactions.
Mass defect is a fundamental concept in nuclear fusion, which is the process of combining two or more atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus. During this process, some of the mass of the combined nuclei is converted into energy, resulting in a mass defect.
The mass defect of a hydrogen atom is relatively small compared to other elements, as it contains only one proton and one electron. The mass defect increases as the number of protons and neutrons in an atom increases, reaching its maximum in the heaviest elements. This is due to the increasing nuclear binding energy needed to hold together larger and more complex nuclei.