Nucleons, mass defect, and mass

In summary, nucleons are subatomic particles that make up the nucleus of an atom. Mass defect is the difference between the mass of an atom's nucleus and the sum of the masses of its individual nucleons, caused by the conversion of mass into energy during nuclear formation. This mass defect is directly related to nuclear binding energy, which is equal to the mass defect multiplied by the speed of light squared. The mass of a nucleus is always less than the combined mass of its individual nucleons due to the conversion of mass into energy during nuclear fusion. The mass of a nucleus can be changed through nuclear reactions such as fusion or fission.
  • #1
Jathor
5
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in high school we are learning about mass defect in nuclear fission and fusion and I know the math: ΔE=Δmc^2

however often the mass changed into energy is much less then the mass of a single nucleon(proton or neutron) and there are no fewer nucleons. for this to happen I would think that you would need to have a part of a nucleon left but we still assume that there mass is a constent.

how dose this work? my physics teacher had no idea.
 
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1. What are nucleons?

Nucleons are the building blocks of atomic nuclei. They are subatomic particles, either protons or neutrons, that make up the nucleus of an atom.

2. What is mass defect?

Mass defect is the difference between the mass of an atom's nucleus and the sum of the masses of its individual nucleons. This difference is caused by the conversion of some mass into energy during the formation of the nucleus.

3. How is mass defect related to nuclear binding energy?

Mass defect is directly related to nuclear binding energy. The energy released during the formation of a nucleus is equal to the mass defect multiplied by the speed of light squared (E=mc^2). This energy is known as nuclear binding energy.

4. How does the mass of a nucleus compare to the mass of its individual nucleons?

The mass of a nucleus is always less than the combined mass of its individual nucleons. This is due to the conversion of some mass into energy during nuclear fusion, which is the process by which nuclei are formed.

5. Can the mass of a nucleus be changed?

Yes, the mass of a nucleus can be changed through nuclear reactions such as fusion or fission. In these reactions, the nucleus either combines with other nuclei or splits apart, resulting in a change in its mass.

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