Why Is Nuclear Binding Energy Proportional to the Mass Defect?

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Nuclear binding energy is directly proportional to the mass defect, which is the difference between the total mass of individual nucleons and the mass of the assembled nucleus. The binding energy represents the energy released when nucleons combine, resulting in a mass decrease. When comparing a nucleus of mass M+1 to one of mass M, the total mass before the combination exceeds the mass after, illustrating the mass defect. This energy difference is often emitted as gamma radiation. Understanding this relationship is crucial for grasping nuclear stability and energy release in nuclear reactions.
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lets say the nucleus of the nuclide is M, why is binding energy of the nucleus directly proportional to (mass of proton and neutron)-M ? shldnt it be M-(mass of proton and neutron) ?
 
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Binding energy is the difference between the total mass (before) and the total mass (after) the combination.

If one takes a nucleus of mass M+1 and compares it to the initial nuclear of mass M and the proton or neutron mass, one will find the total mass before is greater than the mass after. The difference in mass is the binding energy, and in many cases the energy is transformed into a gamma ray.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/nucene/nucbin.html
 
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