The binding-energy-per-nucleon curve is a fundamental tool for understanding nuclear stability.
(i) Define (a) mass defect and (b) nuclear binding energy.
(ii) Draw a qualitative graph showing the variation of binding energy per nucleon with mass number for nuclei from A = 1 to A ≈ 240. Label both axes clearly.
(iii) On the same graph, mark the approximate positions of the nuclei ²H, ⁴He, ⁵⁶Fe and ²³⁸U.