Question

3. Calculate the binding energy per nucleon and the neutron separation energy for 16 O and 17 O

Answer 1

An oxygen-16 nucleus has 8 protons and 8 neutrons. The sum of the masses of these particles, if they were isolated (not bound together in a nucleus) would be:

8*(1.00728 amu) + 8*(1.0088665amu) = 16.12756 amu.

The observed mass of an O-16 nucleus is 15.9905 AMU, the difference between this value, and the sum of the masses of the isolated nucleons is called the "mass defect", and is equal to the binding energy of the nucleus.

BE = (16.12756 - 15.9905)amu = 0.13706 amu.

¹⁷O₈

8*(1.00728 amu) + 9*(1.0088665amu) = 17.13804 amu.

BE = (17.13804 - 16.9905)amu = 0.14754 amu.