Whereas an atomic transition might emit a photon in the range of a few electron volts, perhaps in the visible light region, nuclear transitions can emit gamma-rays with quantum energies in the MeV range. The binding energies of nucleons are in the range of millions of electron volts compared to tens of eV for atomic electrons.
![atomic society no free workers atomic society no free workers](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/m1XCvPPH8sE/hqdefault.jpg)
The fact that there is a peak in the binding energy curve in the region of stability near iron means that either the breakup of heavier nuclei (fission) or the combining of lighter nuclei (fusion) will yield nuclei which are more tightly bound (less mass per nucleon). The binding energy curve is obtained by dividing the total nuclear binding energy by the number of nucleons. The nuclear binding energies are on the order of a million times greater than the electron binding energies of atoms. The comparison of the alpha particle binding energy with the binding energy of the electron in a hydrogen atom is shown below. The enormity of the nuclear binding energy can perhaps be better appreciated by comparing it to the binding energy of an electron in an atom. This binding energy can be calculated from the Einstein relationship: Nuclear binding energy = Δmc 2įor the alpha particle Δm= 0.0304 u which gives a binding energy of 28.3 MeV. The difference is a measure of the nuclear binding energy which holds the nucleus together. Nuclei are made up of protons and neutrons, but the mass of a nucleus is always less than the sum of the individual masses of the protons and neutrons which constitute it. Nuclear Binding Energy Nuclear Binding Energy