Nuclear binding energy

Nuclear binding energy is the energy required to separate a nucleus into free protons and neutrons, or released when they assemble into that nucleus. It equals the nucleus’s mass defect multiplied by the speed of light squared.

Mass defect: The difference between a system’s mass and the sum of the masses of its separated constituents. A nucleus’s missing mass corresponds to its binding energy through Einstein’s mass–energy relation.
Nuclear fission: The splitting of a heavy atomic nucleus into lighter nuclei, often accompanied by neutron emission. Fission can release energy when its products have greater binding energy per nucleon.
Proton: A positively charged subatomic particle found in atomic nuclei. Protons are among the constituents that must be separated to dismantle a nucleus.
Ionization energy: The energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion. It separates electrons from atoms, whereas nuclear binding energy separates nucleons from nuclei.
Strong nuclear force: The residual strong interaction that binds protons and neutrons inside atomic nuclei. It attracts nearby nucleons strongly enough to overcome the electrical repulsion between protons.
Nuclear fusion: The joining of light atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus. Fusion releases energy when the product is more tightly bound per nucleon than its reactants.
Neutron: An electrically neutral subatomic particle found in atomic nuclei. Neutrons contribute to nuclear binding without adding electric repulsion.
Nuclear excitation energy: The energy difference between an excited nuclear state and the nucleus’s ground state. Excitation concerns transitions between bound states, not complete separation into free nucleons.
Einstein's mass–energy equivalence: The relation stating that mass and energy are equivalent, expressed as E = mc². It converts a nucleus’s mass defect into its binding energy.
Binding energy per nucleon: A nucleus’s total binding energy divided by its number of protons and neutrons. This quantity reveals which nuclear transformations can increase average binding and release energy.

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