All masses are invariant (rest) masses of bare nuclei

PHYSICS · Multi-part · Fermi University Physics · Relativity & Gravitation · Nuclear Physics · Nuclear constituents, size and binding

Relativity and Gravitation, Ch Mass as energy: binding, defect and annihilation

Problem

All masses are invariant (rest) masses of bare nuclei. Use

1\ \mathrm{u} = 931.494\ \mathrm{MeV}/c^2

m_p = 1.007276\ \mathrm{u}

m_n = 1.008665\ \mathrm{u}

, and the nuclear masses

{}^{16}\mathrm{O}: 15.990523\ \mathrm{u}

{}^{12}\mathrm{C}: 11.996706\ \mathrm{u}

{}^{4}\mathrm{He}: 4.001506\ \mathrm{u}

. Oxygen-16 contains

8

protons and

8

neutrons. ((a)) Find the mass defect of oxygen-16 in

\mathrm{u}

. ((b)) Convert it to the binding energy in MeV and give the binding energy per nucleon. ((c)) A carbon-12 nucleus at rest captures a helium-4 nucleus at rest:

{}^{12}\mathrm{C} + {}^{4}\mathrm{He} \to {}^{16}\mathrm{O} + \gamma

. Find the energy released,

Q

, in MeV.

Related theory

Nuclear Physics

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