G10 PHYSICS

• Mass defect is the difference between the expected mass and the actual mass of an atom or nucleus.
• Binding energy is the energy required to break up an atom or nucleus into its constituent parts.
• The nucleus is composed of protons and neutrons, with the actual mass being less than the sum of the separate particles.
• The binding energy of Helium is E = Δmc2, where Δm is the mass difference between the atomic mass and the sum of the atomic mass and the atomic number, and c2 is the speed of light squared.
• The binding energy of 238U indicates the total energy involved in holding the nucleus together.
• The stability of the nucleus is determined by the binding energy per nuclear particle.
• The nuclei with the greatest binding energy per nucleon are the most stable.
• The "missing" mass in the nucleus is in the form of energy holding the nucleus together.
• To determine the mass defect, distinguish the number of protons and neutrons of the element or radioisotopes.
• The proton number is equal to the atomic number while the neutron number is the difference of mass number and atomic number.
• Multiply the number of protons to the mass of proton which is 1.00727647 amu.
• Multiply the neutron number to the mass of neutron which is 1.00866440 amu.
• Add the mass of protons and mass of neutrons to get the expected mass.
• To determine the binding energy, multiply the mass defect (Δm) and the c2 which is 931.5 MeV/amu.
• E = Δmc2 is the binding energy, measured in MeV/amu.
• Mass defect, measured in amu, is represented as Δm = m_e - m_a.
• Expected mass, measured in amu, is represented as m_e = Δm + m_a.
• Actual mass, measured in amu, is represented as m_a = Δm - m_e.
• Mass defect, Δm, is calculated as m_e - m_a.
• The nucleus is composed of protons and neutrons.
• Actual mass is less than the mass of separate particles.
• Mass defect indicates the total energy involved in holding the nucleus together.
• Alpha particle is represented as helium nucleus.
• Beta particle is represented as electron.
• Gamma ray is represented as high-energy proton.
• Half-life is the amount of time it takes one half of a sample or rad to decay.
• Atoms decay.