Why Does Nuclear Binding Energy Release Energy?

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In summary, when nucleons come together to form a nucleus, they release energy, known as binding energy. This energy is needed to keep the nucleons together through the nuclear force, which is mediated by exchanging meson particles. This binding energy is negative, meaning it requires energy to separate the nucleons again. Mass is not converted into energy, but rather the overall mass of the system is equal to the sum of the rest masses of the components minus the mass equivalent of the binding energy. The binding energy comes from the interaction between the particles, and in the case of a collision, this energy is released as radiation or heat. Forming a bound system and releasing binding energy can be considered equivalent statements.
  • #1
sudabe
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when nucleons gather together to form a nucleus they release energy and we call it Binding energy.why is that?
we know that to keep the nucleons together they need nuclear force and exchanging the meson particles would do the job.so why a part of their mass change into energy?
I appreciate if you can help.thanks
 
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  • #2
Do you think what happens when a electron comes to a proton then they combine a Hydrogen? According to the calculation of E-M potential, The binding energy is negative, which means it costs energy to separate them again.
 
  • #3
Just to add a thing, mass is not 'converted' into energy, E = mc^2 just implies that mass is a FORM of energy. Just as E = mv^2/2 is one form of energy (nonrelativistic kinetical).
 
  • #4
Just to add a thing, mass is not 'converted' into energy, E = mc^2 just implies that mass is a FORM of energy. Just as E = mv^2/2 is one form of energy (nonrelativistic kinetical).

Really? Why then do mass and energy have different units?
 
  • #5
Icosahedron said:
Really? Why then do mass and energy have different units?

It depends on what unit system you have :)

My point is that there is not such thing as 'pure' energy.
 
  • #6
sudabe said:
so why a part of their mass change into energy?

It is not that "part of the nucleon's mass is converted to energy" ; it is that in an interacting system, the total mass of the overall system is not just the sum of the (rest) masses of the components, it is rather, the sum of the rest masses of the components minus the mass equivalent of the binding energy.

It is because we tend to think that the overall mass is the sum of the masses of the constituents, that we seem to have a "missing mass". This sum rule is a good approximation as long as binding energies have negligible mass equivalents, such as is often the case in chemistry. But it isn't generally true.

So, again, not "part of the nucleon's mass" is converted to energy. It is simply that the mass of the overall system is NOT equal to the sums of the masses of the free constituents.
 
  • #7
so where does the B-E come from?
 
  • #8
sudabe said:
so where does the B-E come from?

From the interaction. Classical example: consider an empty space, and two clumps of mass: planet A and planet B, at billions of kilometers one from another. They are interacting through (Newtonian) gravity, and hurl one towards the other. If they don't collide, they'll separate again: we don't have a bound system. But if they collide, we'll get huge fireworks, lots of heating up, which is eventually radiated into space, and a bigger lump: a single planet, the "bound state" of planets A and B. The binding energy, is the surplus energy that was liberated during the collision, and came from the gravitational attraction that accelerated both planets onto each other. It was radiated away, mainly as radiation (heat, light, etc...). It's gone now from the system. That was the binding energy. If you want to make again planets A and B, at billions of km one from another, you will have to provide at least this binding energy to the lump we now have.

If there wouldn't have been any gravitational interaction, there wouldn't have been the acceleration, the fireworks, the radiated heat, and the final bound lump. There wouldn't have been any released binding energy.
 
  • #9
vanesch said:
if they don't collide, they'll separate again: we don't have a bound system. But if they collide, we'll get huge fireworks, lots of heating up, which is eventually radiated into space, and a bigger lump: a single planet, the "bound state" of planets A and B.
thank you for your complete answer.
Can i say releasing binding energy and forming a bound system are equivalent?
I mean for example when 2 particles got the required conditions,will release energy and form bound state?
I want to have an understanding of a bound system.
(I know my questions are strange sorry:shy:)
 
  • #10
sudabe said:
Can i say releasing binding energy and forming a bound system are equivalent?
I mean for example when 2 particles got the required conditions,will release energy and form bound state?
I want to have an understanding of a bound system.
(I know my questions are strange sorry:shy:)

I can't think of a counter example. I guess yes, that releasing binding energy and forming a bound system are equivalent statements...
 

1. Why does nuclear binding energy release energy?

Nuclear binding energy is the energy that holds the nucleus of an atom together. When a nucleus is formed, the individual nucleons (protons and neutrons) are held together by the strong nuclear force. This force is very strong, but it requires energy to overcome it. When a nucleus is formed, energy is released because the nucleons are able to come closer together and become more tightly bound, resulting in a lower overall energy state. This released energy is known as nuclear binding energy.

2. How is nuclear binding energy released?

Nuclear binding energy is released during nuclear reactions, such as nuclear fusion and nuclear fission. In nuclear fusion, two small atomic nuclei combine to form a larger nucleus, releasing energy in the process. In nuclear fission, a large, unstable nucleus splits into smaller nuclei, also releasing energy. In both cases, the released energy is a result of the nucleons becoming more tightly bound in the new nuclei.

3. What is the relationship between nuclear binding energy and mass?

According to Einstein's famous equation E=mc², energy and mass are interchangeable. Therefore, when nuclear binding energy is released, a small amount of mass is also converted into energy. This is known as mass-energy equivalence. The amount of mass converted is determined by the mass defect, which is the difference between the mass of the original nucleus and the mass of the products after a nuclear reaction. This relationship is crucial in understanding the immense amount of energy released in nuclear reactions.

4. Can nuclear binding energy be harnessed for practical use?

Yes, nuclear binding energy can be harnessed for practical use in nuclear power plants. In nuclear fission reactions, the released energy is used to heat water and create steam, which then turns turbines to generate electricity. This process is used to provide a significant portion of the world's electricity. Nuclear fusion, although not yet practical on a large scale, has the potential to provide even more energy and is being researched as a potential future source of clean, sustainable energy.

5. How does nuclear binding energy compare to other forms of energy?

Nuclear binding energy is one of the most powerful forms of energy in the universe. The energy released in nuclear reactions is millions of times greater than the energy released in chemical reactions, such as burning fossil fuels. In fact, the energy released in nuclear reactions is the same energy that powers stars and other celestial bodies. Understanding and harnessing nuclear binding energy has the potential to greatly impact our energy needs and the future of energy production.

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