The sum of the masses of constituent nucleons as compared to the mass of the resultant nucleus is:
Correct answer: A. Smaller
- A. Smaller
- B. Larger
- C. Same
- D. Sometimes smaller, sometimes greater
Explanation
The mass of a nucleus is slightly smaller than the sum of the masses of its individual nucleons. This difference is known as the mass defect, and it is released as energy during nuclear reactions according to Einstein's mass-energy equivalence (E=mc2).
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Atomic nuclei contain protons and neutrons, with nuclear size, mass defect and binding energy describing their stability. The work covers alpha, beta and gamma decay, decay equations, half-life and decay rate, along with radiation safety and medical applications such as imaging, radiotherapy and tracers.
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