Study the following data on binding energy per nucleon (Ebn) of four representative nuclei:
Nucleus Ebn (MeV per nucleon)
4He 7.1
14N 7.9
56Fe 8.8
238U 7.6
(i) Arrange the above nuclei in decreasing order of nuclear stability.
(ii) Which nucleus in the list would neither release significant energy by usual fusion nor by fission processes? Give a reason.
(iii) Explain, with reference to the given data, why the lightest and the heaviest nuclei in the list are less stable than the nucleus identified in part (ii).