What is the binding energy of a nucleus?
a.

the energy needed to remove one of the nucleons
b.

the energy equal to the mass of a nucleon at rest
c.

the energy released when nucleons bind together to form a stable nucleus
d.

the mass of the nucleus times c squared

Question

What is the binding energy of a nucleus?
a.
	
the energy needed to remove one of the nucleons
b.
	
the energy equal to the mass of a nucleon at rest
c.
	
the energy released when nucleons bind together to form a stable nucleus
d.
	
the mass of the nucleus times c squared

michele_laino · Answer

I think it is option d) since the bound system has less energy than the sum of the energies of its components. Please look at my tutorial: http://openstudy.com/study#/updates/569003b1e4b09cb8736d02b5