Difference between revisions 5759476 and 5759477 on simplewiki

A '''binding energy''' is the negative [[potential energy]] (''i.e.'', energy debt) pulling a bound system together.<ref name = "PotEnIsNeg">[http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/thermo/phase.html#c4 Why is the Potential Energy Negative?] ''HyperPhysics''</ref> Conversely, an '''unbinding energy''' is the positive actual energy required to disassemble a bound system into separate p(contracted; show full)

From ''E''&nbsp;=&nbsp;''mc''<sup>2</sup>, it follows that '''''Binding energy'' = ''Mass change'' × ''c''<sup>2</sup>'''. Since the mass change is negative (a mass defect), the binding energy is negative too.


The energy given off during either [[nuclear fusion]] or [[nuclear fission]] is the difference of the binding energies of the "fuel", i.e., the initial nuclide(s), from that of the fission or fusion products. In practice, this energy may also be calculated from the substantial mass differences between the fuel and products, which uses previous measurement of the [[atomic mass]]es of known nuclides, which always have the same mass for each species. This mass difference appears once evolved heat and radiation have been removed, which is a given requirement for measuring the (rest) masses of the (non-excited) nuclides involved in such calculations.⏎
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==See also==
*[[Minimum total potential energy principle]]
*[[Potential energy]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/nucene/nucbin.html Nuclear Binding Energy]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Binding Energy}}
[[Category:Basic physics ideas]]
[[Category:Cosmology]]
[[Category:Energy]]