Question
Calculate binding energy per nucleon of nucleus.
(Given: mass of mass of proton = 1.007825 u; mass of neutron = 1.00865 u; 1 atomic unit (1u) = 931 MeV)
Solution
Given, contains 20 protons and (40-20) = 20 neutrons.
Mass of 20 protons = 20 1.007825 = 20.1565 a.m.u
Mass of 20 neutrons = 20 1.008665 = 20.1733 a.m.u
Therefore, total mass of 40 nucleons = 40.3298 a.m.u
Given that mass of = 39.962589 a.m.u
Therefore, mass defect,
Total binding energy per nucleon is given by,