Nuclear Binding Energy: Is Conservation of Energy Violated?

In summary, the individual nucleons being heavier than the nucleus does not violate the law of conservation of energy because the negative nuclear binding energy has "negative weight" and therefore has negative gravitational potential energy with respect to the rest of the universe. In general relativity, the answer may be different but it is not fully understood. The reason why heavier particles having more gravitational potential energy does not violate the law of conservation of energy is because the binding energy is negative in value.
  • #1
talksabcd
34
0
We know that induvidual nucleons are heavier than the nucleus. So Nucleons
should have more gravitational potential energy with respect to the rest of the universe than the nucleus. Doesn't this violate the law of conservation of energy ?
 
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  • #2
talksabcd said:
We know that induvidual nucleons are heavier than the nucleus. So Nucleons
should have more gravitational potential energy with respect to the rest of the universe than the nucleus. Doesn't this violate the law of conservation of energy ?

I'm not an expert in this, but I think that an approximate answer is that the negative nuclear binding energy sort of has "negative weight" and therefore has negative gravitational potential energy WRT the rest of the universe. That makes up for the difference.

I also think that the answer is weirder (and more complete) in general relativity, which I don't understand. I hope one of the real physicists answers this soon, I'm interested.
 
  • #3
OP - I'm not following your reasoning here, why would heavier particle having more gravitational PE violate the law of conservation of energy?

Claude.
 
  • #4
talksabcd said:
So Nucleons
should have more gravitational potential energy with respect to the rest of the universe than the nucleus. Doesn't this violate the law of conservation of energy ?
No it does not because the binding energy is negative in value !

marlon
 

1. What is nuclear binding energy?

Nuclear binding energy is the energy required to keep the nucleus of an atom together. It is the force that holds protons and neutrons together, and is necessary for the stability of atomic nuclei.

2. How is nuclear binding energy related to the conservation of energy?

Nuclear binding energy is a form of potential energy, and according to the law of conservation of energy, energy cannot be created or destroyed. Therefore, the total amount of energy within a closed system, such as an atom, must remain constant. In nuclear reactions, the total amount of binding energy before and after the reaction remains the same, thus conserving energy.

3. Can nuclear binding energy be violated?

No, the conservation of energy is a fundamental law of physics, and it applies to all types of energy, including nuclear binding energy. Violating this law would require a fundamental change in our understanding of the universe.

4. How is nuclear binding energy calculated?

Nuclear binding energy is calculated using Einstein's famous equation, E=mc², where E is the energy, m is the mass, and c is the speed of light. By comparing the mass of the individual particles in a nucleus to the mass of the nucleus as a whole, the nuclear binding energy can be determined.

5. Why is nuclear binding energy important?

Nuclear binding energy is important because it is the source of energy for nuclear reactions and nuclear power plants. It is also crucial for the stability of atoms and plays a significant role in understanding the structure and behavior of atomic nuclei.

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