What is the Binding Energy of Carbon 12?

[Typhon4ever]

Homework Statement

Given that the mass of 1 H is 1.00794 amu, the mass of a neutron is 1.00865 amu and
that the energy equivalent of 1 atomic mass unit (AMU) is 931.5 MeV, what is the
binding energy of 12C (atomic mass = 12.00000 amu)?

Homework Equations

(σ) mass decrement=(W) mass of constituent particles (aka for helium 4 its 4p+4n+4e) - (M) actual mass of atom

E=σ*c^2

The Attempt at a Solution

I want to find the binding energy of carbon 12. So it's σ=W-12. W is 6p+6n+6e. I know the mass of n. But I do not know the mass of p and e.

I am told that 1H=1.00794 amu. So 1.00794=1p+1e-σ. I don't see how this helps me get values for p and e. Help?

 

[ehild]

What is the Hydrogen atom ?

ehild

 

[Typhon4ever]

What is the Hydrogen atom ?

ehild

A hydrogen atom is one proton and one electron if I remember correctly. Am I supposed to derive the mass of p and e from this?

 

[ehild]

You need only the mass of 6p + 6e=6(p+e). The proton and electron do not merge in the hydrogen atom, they are relatively far away, you can take the mass of the hydrogen atom equal to the mass of the proton + mass of the electron.

ehild

 

[Typhon4ever]

You need only the mass of 6p + 6e=6(p+e). The proton and electron do not merge in the hydrogen atom, they are relatively far away, you can take the mass of the hydrogen atom equal to the mass of the proton + mass of the electron.

ehild

Ooh I see. The lack of neutron means I can neglect binding energies. That makes much more sense thank you.

 

[Typhon4ever]

Hmm, I just checked the given values of the mass of a proton and electron from the book I have (where the question is from) and I notice that the given mass of the 1 H and what can be added from the following data does not add up.

proton: 1.007276 u
electron: 0.00054858 u
p+e=1.00782 which does not = 1.00794

:\

 

[ehild]

There is some confusion between the atomic mass and the relative atomic mass The atomic mass or relative isotopic mass refers to the mass of a single particle, and is fundamentally different from the quantities elemental atomic weight (also called "relative atomic mass") and standard atomic weight, both of which refer to averages (mathematical means) of naturally-occurring atomic mass values for samples of elements
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_mass

The hydrogen element occurs as mixture of hydrogen, deuterium and tritium isotopes, its relative atomic mass is 1.00794 ± 0.00001 u.
The hydrogen isotope, which consist of a single proton and a single electron, has atomic mass of 1.00782505 u.


So the problem gave a wrong value ...the relative atomic mass of the element instead of the atomic mass of the hydrogen isotope.

ehild