DEFINITION

The total mass of a nucleus is less than the total mass of the nucleons that make up the nucleus. This is known as a mass defect. The mass defect or mass difference is given by

HOW TO CALCULATE MASS DEFECT?

Mass defect of  Iron-56 Nucleus- Question

Calculate the mass defect for a Iron-56 nucleus, given the mass of a proton= 1.00782 u and the mass of neutron=1,00867 u and mass of Iron-56 nucleus is 55.934939 amu

Mass defect of  Iron-56 Nucleus-Answer

The mass defect for the Iron-56 nucleus is 0.528481 u.

NUCLEAR BINDING ENERGY

WHAT IS THE MASS DEFECT OF CHLORINE NUCLEUS ?

Mass Defect: Question

Calculate the mass defect for a chlorine -35 nucleus, given the mass of a proton= 1.00782 u and the mass of neutron=1,00867 u and mass of chlorine-35 nucleus is 34,980000 u

Mass defect for chlorine-35 Nucleus- Solution

WHAT IS THE MASS DEFECT OF CALCIUM NUCLEUS?

Mass  defect for calcium-40 Nucleus:  Question

Calculate the mass defect for a chlorine -35 nucleus, given the mass of a proton= 1.00728 u and the mass of neutron=1,00867 u and mass of chlorine-35 nucleus is 34,980000 u

Mass  defect for calcium-40 Nucleus: Solution

Mass  defect for calcium-40 Nucleus is 0.367211 u

Mass defect- Important applications in various fields
1.  Nuclear Reactions:

In nuclear reactions like fission and fusion, the mass defect is essential for calculating the energy released. For instance, in nuclear fission, the mass of the resulting particles is less than the original nucleus, and this mass difference (mass defect) is converted into energy according to Einstein’s equation E= mc*2

2. Nuclear Binding Energy:

The mass defect is directly related to the binding energy of a nucleus. By calculating the mass defect, we can determine the binding energy, which is the energy required to disassemble a nucleus into its constituent protons and neutrons. This aids in understanding the stability of nuclei.

3. Isotope Stability:

 Information about the stability of isotopes can be obtained from the mass defect. In general, isotopes with a larger mass defect are more stable because they have a higher binding energy per nucleon. The fields of nuclear medicine and radiochemistry can benefit from this knowledge.

4.Nuclear Medicine:

Knowing the mass defect and binding energy aids in choosing the right radioactive isotopes for diagnosis and treatment in medical applications, such as radiation therapy for cancer.

5. Material Science:

The idea of a mass defect can be used in material science to comprehend the binding energy of various materials, which can affect the stability and qualities of those materials.

6.Energy Production:

Nuclear power plants and the creation of nuclear weapons both use the concepts of mass defect. Electricity is generated in nuclear reactors by using the energy released from the mass defect during fission processes.

7. Astrophysics:

Researching stellar processes like nuclear fusion in stars requires an understanding of mass defects. According to the mass defect, stars produce energy by fusing mass into energy through processes like the fusion of hydrogen and helium.

8.. Particle Physics

The mass defect aids in the comprehension of subatomic particle behavior and mass-energy equivalency in particle physics. It is employed in the investigation of high-energy phenomena, such as quark-gluon plasma.

Mass defect -Practice Questions:

Sl. No.	Nucleus	Protons    Z	Neutrons          N	Mass  Number     A	Mass of Nucleus                                 u	Total mass of free nucleons        u	Mass  defect      u
1	Lithium-7	3	4	7	7.01600	?	?
2	Beryllium-9	4	5	9	9.01218	?	?
3	Boron-11	5	6	11	11.00931	?	?
4	Carbon 12	6	6	12	12.00000	?	?
5	Nitrogen 14	7	7	14	14.00307	?	?
6	Fluorine 19	9	10	19	18.99840	?	?
7	Neon -20	10	10	20	19.99640	?	?
8	Sodium -23	11	12	23	22.98977	?	?

Mass defect -Answer

Sl.No	Total mass of free nucleons                          u	Mass  defect      u	Sl.No	Total mass of free nucleons                   u	Mass  defect      u
1	7.05649	0.04049	5	14.11831	0.11524
2	9.07561	0.06343	6	19.12669	0.12829
3	11.08612	0.07681	7	20.16590	0.17346
4	12.09894	0.09894	8	23.18963	0.19986

 

CONCLUSION:

According to Einstein’s relationship the binding energy is proportional to the mass difference or mass defect. Mass defect plays an important role in the conversion of energy.When a nucleus is formed from its nucleons, some of their mass is converted into energy which binds the nucleons together inside the nucleus.

Overall, the calculation of mass defect is fundamental to our understanding of nuclear processes and has wide-ranging applications in energy production, medical science, astrophysics, and beyond.