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It is in the atoms of iron that the nucleons have the least mass. Nucleons in iron have the highest binding energy per nucleon of any element. Want to know what the relationship is? Good. Let's review.
The nucleons of an atom are the protons and neutrons that make up the nucleus of that atom. Neutrons have a mass of about 1.67 x 10-27 kg, and protons are slightly lighter than neutrons. But when protons and neutrons are fused together to form atomic nuclei (like in fusion reactions in stars), some of the mass of each nucleon is converted into binding energy or nuclear glue. It might be preferable to say that residual strong force is what holds atomic nuclei together. In any case, the "drop in mass" associated with the conversion of that mass to binding energy is called mass deficit. There are a number of complexities involved in nuclear formation, and when we look at different elements, there are different binding energies set up (during fusion) to keep the different nuclei together. Let's look in on that just a bit by taking a couple of examples.
In helium (He-4), two protons and two neutrons are bound together in the nucleus. Each of the nucleons has "donated" some mass, which mediation by the strong interaction changed into nuclear glue. Each nucleon could be said to have donated mHe to allow the nucleus to stay together. In oxygen (O-16) however, each nucleon donated mO to the process creating binding energy for the oxygen nucleus. The nucleons in oxygen donated more of their mass, and these nucleons end up with less mass per nucleon than the nucleons in helium. See how that works? But there's a catch. There always is, isn't there?
When we look at the amount of mass deficit a nucleon undergoes in different elements as we move up the Periodic Table, we see that an increasing amount of the mass of nucleons is converted into binding energy, as you might have guessed. But that all stops at iron. Iron nuclei are the most tightly bound nuclei of all the elements. As we move on up the periodic table from there, we see a decreasing amount of mass deficit in each nucleon of atomic nuclei. And that's the way it is. Completely explaining why this occurs would fill a semester of college physics. Use the link below to see the graph of binding energy per nucleon across the elements. (Note that iron sits at the peak.)
What else can I help you with?
When does a nucleon have more mass?
A nucleon has more mass when it is not bound to the nucleus of an atom. When the nucleon is bound to other nucleons the binding energy that keeps them together comes from the mass of the nucleon. Therefore the mass of a single nucleon will be smaller in an atom than on it's own.
How can you get the nucleon number?
The nucleon number, also known as the mass number, can be found by adding the number of protons and neutrons in an atomic nucleus. It is represented by the letter A in the notation of an element's isotopes.
What is the Significance of binding energy per nucleon vary with mass number?
The binding energy per nucleon varies with mass number because it represents the average energy required to separate a nucleus into its individual nucleons. For lighter nuclei, the binding energy per nucleon increases as the nucleus becomes more stable. As nuclei become larger (higher mass number), the binding energy per nucleon decreases due to the diminishing strength of the nuclear force relative to the electrostatic repulsion between protons.
What is the order of binding energy per nucleon nucleus?
The order of binding energy per nucleon for nuclei generally follows the trend that larger nuclei have higher binding energy per nucleon. This means that as you move to heavier nuclei (with more protons and neutrons), their binding energy per nucleon tends to increase. This trend is due to the strong nuclear force that holds the nucleus together becoming more efficient as the nucleus grows in size.
If a pair of iron nuclei were fused would the product nucleus have more mass per nucleon than an iron nucleus or less?
Iron has a stable nucleus, the most common isotope has 26 protons and 30 neutrons (Fe56). Elements around this point in the periodic table, like iron and nickel, have the highest binding energy of any nuclei, so they do not experience fission. Fission only ocurs with heavy nuclei such as U235 and PU 239 and a few others in that area, and when they fission they split into two fragments of elements which have higher binding energy. In these cases the total mass of the fission fragments is less than the mass of the original nucleus, and this is where the nuclear energy comes from, by E = mc2
A nucleon has the least mass in the nucleus of uranium iron plutonium hydrogen?
The masses of the nucleons are independent from the type of nucleus.
When does a nucleon have more mass?
A nucleon has more mass when it is not bound to the nucleus of an atom. When the nucleon is bound to other nucleons the binding energy that keeps them together comes from the mass of the nucleon. Therefore the mass of a single nucleon will be smaller in an atom than on it's own.
How can you get the nucleon number?
The nucleon number, also known as the mass number, can be found by adding the number of protons and neutrons in an atomic nucleus. It is represented by the letter A in the notation of an element's isotopes.
The mass number of an atom is the?
The mass number also refers to the nucleon number. Usually the larger number among the two present in the periodic table, the nucleon number refers to the number of protons and neutrons present within an atomic nucleus of an element.
What is the difference between the atomic number and the mass of an element?
Atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of the atom. But Atomic Mass is the mass of the nucleus and mass of the electrons around the nucleus. If suppose we say the mass number then it is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. Nucleon is the common name for both proton and neutron. Hence mass number is the total number of nucleons.
What is the difference between the atomic number and mass of an element?
Atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of the atom. But Atomic Mass is the mass of the nucleus and mass of the electrons around the nucleus. If suppose we say the mass number then it is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. Nucleon is the common name for both proton and neutron. Hence mass number is the total number of nucleons.
What is the difference between the atomic number and atomic mass of an element?
Atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of the atom. But atomic mass is the mass of the nucleus and mass of the electrons around the nucleus. If suppose we say the mass number then it is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. Nucleon is the common name for both proton and neutron. Hence mass number is the total number of nucleons.
How does the mass of an electron compare to the mass of a nucleon?
The vast majority of mass in an element is located in the nucleus, comprised of protons and neutrons. Electrons are considered to have almost no mass, although that they exist at all would imply that they must in fact have some mass.
Where is most of the mass of an atom within the nucleus or outside of the nucleus?
The whole is less than the sum of the parts. A proton or neutron (nucleon) will have less mass in a nucleus that outside it. That's because some of the mass of a nucleon is converted into binding energy to hold an atomic nucleus together. That's the so-called mass deficit. Oh, and before we go, a proton or neutron is called a nucleon only inside the nucleus of an atom. We don't apply that term to either one when they're outside the nucleus.
What is the mass number minus the atomic number called?
Nucleon Number (total number of protons and neutrons)
The number of protons and nuetrons in the nucleus of an atom?
The number of protons in the nucleus determines the element's identity, while the sum of protons and neutrons gives the atom's mass number. The nucleus contains nearly all of an atom's mass and is surrounded by a cloud of electrons.
How does the mass per nucleon in uranium compare with the mass per nucleon in the fission fragments or uranium?
This is not something I really know anything about, but I do know that energy is liberated in the process, so you could expect it to be less in the fission fragments. It also depends on the nucleus. Proton and neutron masses differ somewhat, so it depends on what the ratio of protons and neutrons is as well.
