PHYSICS

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 26:
Nucleus

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CHAPTER 26

Nucleus
26.1 Properties of nucleus
26.2 Binding Energy and Mass Defect

PHYSICS
CHAPTER 26
Learning Outcome:
26.1

Properties of nucleus

At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:

State the properties of proton and neutron.

Define
proton number
nucleon number
isotopes

Use
A
to represent a nucleus.
ZX

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CHAPTER 26

26.1 Properties of nucleus

26.1.1 Nuclear structure

A nucleus of an atom is made up of protons and neutrons that

known as nucleons (is defined as the particles found inside
the nucleus) as shown in Figure 13.1.
Proton
Neutron

Electron

Figure 13.1
4

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CHAPTER 26

Proton and neutron are characterised by the following properties

in Table 13.1.

Charge (C)
Mass (kg)

Proton (p)

Neutron (n)

+e

0
(uncharged )

(1.60 10

19

1.672 10 27

1.675 10

27

Table 13.1

For a neutral atom,

The number of protons inside the nucleus
= the number of electrons orbiting the nucleus
This is because the magnitude of an electron charge
equals to the magnitude of a proton charge but opposite
in sign.
5

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CHAPTER 26

Nuclei are characterised by the number and type of nucleons

they contain as shown in Table 13.2.
Number

Symbol

Definition

Atomic number

The number of protons in a nucleus

Neutron number

The number of neutrons in a nucleus

Mass (nucleon)
number

The number of nucleons in a nucleus

Table 13.2

Relationship :

(13.1)

Any nucleus of elements in the periodic table called a nuclide is

characterised by its atomic number Z and its mass number A.
The nuclide of an element can be represented as in the Figure
13.2.
6

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CHAPTER 26

Mass number
Element X
Atomic number

Figure 13.2
The number of protons Z is not necessary equal to the number
of neutrons N.
e.g. : 24 Mg
12

32
16

Z 12
N A Z 12

S ; 195
78 Pt

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CHAPTER 26

Since a nucleus can be modeled as tightly packed sphere

where each sphere is a nucleon, thus the average radius of
the nucleus is given by

R R0 A

1
3

(13.2)

R : average radius of nucleus

15
R0 : constant 1.2 10 m OR 1.2 fm
A : mass (nucleon) number

where

femtometre (fermi)

1 fm 11015 m

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CHAPTER 26

Example 1 :
Based on the periodic table of element, Write down the symbol of
nuclide for following cases:
a. Z =20 ; A =40
b. Z =17 ; A =35
c. 50 nucleons ; 24 electrons
d. 106 nucleons ; 48 protons
e. 214 nucleons ; 131 protons
Solution :
a. Given Z =20 ; A =40
A
Z

40
20

Ca

c. Given A=50 and Z=number of protons = number of electrons =24

A
Z

50
24

Cr
9

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CHAPTER 26

Example 2 :
What is meant by the following symbols?
1
0

1
1

0
1

n; p ; e

State the mass number and sign of the charge for each entity
above.
Solution :

1
0

Neutron ; A=1
Charge : neutral (uncharged)

1
1

Proton ; A=1
Charge : positively charged

0
1

Electron ; A=0
Charge : negatively charged
10

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CHAPTER 26

Example 3 :
Complete the Table 13.3.
Element Number of Number of
nuclide
protons
neutrons
1
1
9
4
14
7
16
8
23
11
59
27
31
16
133
55
238
92

H
Be
N
O
Na
Co
S
Cs
U

16

Total charge
in nucleus

Number of
electrons

16e

16

15

Table 13.3

11

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CHAPTER 26

26.1.2 Isotope

is defined as the nuclides/elements/atoms that have the

same atomic number Z but different in mass number A.
From the definition of isotope, thus the number of protons or
electrons are equal but different in the number of neutrons
N for two isotopes from the same element.
For example :
Hydrogen isotopes:
1
1

2
1
3
1

H : Z=1, A=1, N=0

H : Z=1, A=2, N=1

H : Z=1, A=3, N=2

Oxygen isotopes:
16
8

17
8
18
8

proton(11 p)

equal

deuterium( 21 D)
tritium (31T)
not equal

O : Z=8, A=16, N=8

O : Z=8, A=17, N=9

O : Z=8, A=18, N=10
equal

not equal

12

PHYSICS
CHAPTER 26
Learning Outcome:
26.2

Binding energy and mass defect

At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:

Define and determine mass defect.

Define and determine binding energy

E mc 2

Identify the average value of binding energy per

nucleon of stable nuclei from the graph of binding
energy per nucleon against nucleon number.

13

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CHAPTER 26

26.2 Binding energy and mass defect

26.2.1 Einstein mass-energy relation

From the theory of relativity leads to the idea that mass is a

form of energy.
Mass and energy can be related by the following relation:

E mc 2
where

(13.5)

E : amount of energy

m: rest mass

c : speed of light in vacuum (3.00 108 m s 1 )

e.g. The energy for 1 kg of substance is

E mc 2
(1)(3.00 108 ) 2
E 9.00 1016 J

14

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CHAPTER 26

Unit conversion of mass and energy

The electron-volt (eV)

is a unit of energy.
is defined as the kinetic energy gained by an electron in
being accelerated by a potential difference (voltage) of 1
volt.
19

1 eV 1.60 10 J
1 MeV 10 6 eV 1.60 10 13 J

The atomic mass unit (u)

is a unit of mass.
1
is defined as exactly
the mass of a neutral carbon-12
12
atom.

mass of 126 C
1u
12
1 u 1.66 10 27 kg
15

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CHAPTER 26

1 atomic mass unit (u) can be converted into the unit of

energy by using the mass-energy relation (eq. 13.5).

E mc 2
(1.66 10 27 )(3.00 108 ) 2
E 1.49 10 10 J

in joule,

1 u 1.49 10 10 J

in eV/c2 or MeV/c2,

1.49 10 10
6
2
E

931
.
5

10
eV/
c
1.60 10 19

1 u 931.5 10 6 eV/ c 2
OR

1 u 931.5 MeV/c 2
16

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CHAPTER 26

26.2.2 Mass defect

The mass of a nucleus (MA) is always less than the total mass
of its constituent nucleons (Zmp+Nmn) i.e.

M A Zmp Nmn

where mp : mass of a proton

mn : mass of a neutron

Thus the difference in this mass is given by

m Zm p Nmn M A

(13.6)

where m is called mass defect and is defined as the mass

difference between the total mass of the constituent
nucleons and the mass of a nucleus.
The reduction in mass arises because the act of combining
the nucleons to form the nucleus causes some of their mass
to be released as energy.
Any attempt to separate the nucleons would involve them
being given this same amount of energy. This energy is called
17
the binding energy of the nucleus.

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CHAPTER 26

26.2.3 Binding energy

The binding energy of a nucleus is defined as the energy

required to separate completely all the nucleons in the
nucleus.
The binding energy of the nucleus is equal to the energy
equivalent of the mass defect. Hence

Binding energy
in joule

EB mc 2
Mass defect in kg

(13.7)

Speed of light in
vacuum

26.2.4 Nucleus stability

Since the nucleus is viewed as a closed packed of nucleons,

thus its stability depends only on the forces exist inside it.
The forces involve inside the nucleus are
repulsive electrostatic (Coulomb) forces between
protons and
attractive forces that bind all nucleons together in the
18
nucleus.

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CHAPTER 26

These attractive force is called nuclear force and is responsible

for nucleus stability.

The general properties of the nuclear force are summarized

as follow :

The nuclear force is attractive and is the strongest force

in nature.

It is a short range force . It means that a nucleon is

attracted only to its nearest neighbours in the nucleus.
It does not depend on charge; neutrons as well as protons
are bound and the nuclear force is same for both.
e.g. proton-proton (p-p)
The magnitude of nuclear
neutron-neutron (n-n)
forces are same.
proton-neutron (p-n)

The nuclear force depends on the binding energy per

nucleon.
19

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CHAPTER 26

Note that a nucleus is stable if the nuclear force greater than

the Coulomb force and vice versa.

The binding energy per nucleon of a nucleus is a measure of

the nucleus stability where

Binding energy ( EB )
Binding energy per nucleon
Nucleon number( A)

mc 2
Binding energy per nucleon
A

(13.8)

Figure 13.5 shows a graph of the binding energy per nucleon as

a function of mass (nucleon) number A.

20

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CHAPTER 26

Binding energy per

nucleon (MeV/nucleon)

Greatest stability

Figure 13.5

Mass number A

21

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CHAPTER 26

From Figure 13.5,

The value of EB/A rises rapidly from 1 MeV/nucleon to 8

MeV/nucleon with increasing mass number A for light nuclei.

For the nuclei with A between 50 and 80, the value of EB/A
ranges between 8.0 and 8.9 Mev/nucleon. The nuclei in
these range are very stable. The maximum value of the
curve occurs in the vicinity of nickel, which has the most
stable nucleus.

For A > 62, the values of EB/A decreases slowly, indicating

that the nucleons are on average less tightly bound.

For heavy nuclei with A between 200 to 240, the binding

energy is between 7.5 and 8.0 MeV/nucleon. These nuclei
are unstable and radioactive.

Figure 13.6 shows a graph of neutron number N against atomic

number Z for a number of stable nuclei.
22

CHAPTER 26
Line of
stability

Neutron number,

PHYSICS

N=Z

Figure 13.6
Atomic number Z

23

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CHAPTER 26

From Figure 13.6,

The stable nuclei are represented by the blue dots, which lie
in a narrow range called the line of stability.

The dashed line corresponds to the condition N=Z.

The light stable nuclei contain an equal number of

protons and neutrons (N=Z) but in heavy stable nuclei
the number of neutrons always greater than the number
of protons (above Z =20) hence the line of stability
deviates upward from the line of N=Z.

This means as the number of protons increase, the

strength of repulsive coulomb force increases which
tends to break the nucleus apart.

As a result, more neutrons are needed to keep the

nucleus stable because neutrons experience only the
attractive nuclear force.
24

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CHAPTER 26

Example 5 :
Calculate the binding energy of an aluminum nucleus

27
13 Al

in MeV.

(Given mass of neutron, mn=1.00867 u ; mass of proton,

mp=1.00782 u ; speed of light in vacuum, c=3.00108 m s1 and
atomic mass of aluminum, MAl=26.98154 u)
Solution :

27
13 Al

Z 13 and N 27 13
N 14

The mass defect of the aluminum nucleus is

m Zmp Nmn M Al
13 1.00782 14 1.00867 26.98154

m 0.2415 u
25

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CHAPTER 26

Solution :
The binding energy of the aluminum nucleus can be calculated by
using two method.
1st method:
1 u 1.66 10 27 kg
EB m c 2

in kg

m 0.2415 1.66 1027

28
4.0089 10 kg

EB 4.0089 10

28

3.00 10

8 2

Thus the binding energy in MeV is

11

3.608 10
EB
1.60 10 13

1 MeV 1.60 1013 J

26

PHYSICS
Solution :
2nd method:

CHAPTER 26
EB m c 2

1 u 931.5 MeV/ c 2

in u

931.5 MeV/ c 2 2
c
m
1u

931.5 MeV/ c 2 2
c
0.2415 u
1u

27

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CHAPTER 26

Example 6 :
Calculate the binding energy per nucleon of a boron nucleus
in J/nucleon.

B
10
5

(Given mass of neutron, mn=1.00867 u ; mass of proton,

mp=1.00782 u ; speed of light in vacuum, c=3.00108 m s1 and
atomic mass of boron, MB=10.01294 u)
Solution :

10
5

Z 5

and

N 10 5
N 5

The mass defect of the boron nucleus is

m Zmp Nmn M B

5 1.00782 5 1.00867 10.01294

m 0.06951 u
28

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Solution :
The binding energy of the boron nucleus is given by

EB m c 2

0.06951 1.66 10

27

3.00 10

8 2

Hence the binding energy per nucleon is

EB 1.04 1011

A
10

29

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CHAPTER 26

Example 7 :

Why is the uranium-238 nucleus 238

less stable than carbon-12
92 U
nucleus 126 C ? Give an explanation by referring to the repulsive
coulomb force and the binding energy per nucleon.

(Given mass of neutron, mn=1.00867 u ; mass of proton,

mp=1.00782 u ; speed of light in vacuum, c=3.00108 m s1; atomic

mass of carbon-12, MC=12.00000 u and atomic mass of uranium238, MU=238.05079 u )
Solution :
From the aspect of repulsive coulomb force :

Uranium-238 nucleus has 92 protons but the carbon-12

nucleus has only 6 protons.

Therefore the coulomb force inside uranium-238 nucleus

is 92 or 15.3 times the coulomb force inside carbon-12
6
nucleus.
30

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Solution :
From the aspect of binding energy per nucleon:
12
Z 6 and N 6

Carbon-12 : C
6
The mass defect :

m Zmp Nmn M C
6 1.00782 6 1.00867 12.00000
m 0.09894 u

The binding energy per nucleon:

m c
EB

A
A C
931.5 MeV/ c 2 2
c
0.09894 u
1u

12
2

31

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CHAPTER 26

238

Uranium-238 : 92 U
The mass defect :

Z 92

and N 146

m 92 1.00782 146 1.00867 238.05079

m 1.93447 u
The binding energy per nucleon:

931.5 MeV/ c 2 2
c
1.93447 u
1u
EB

238
A U

Since the binding energy of uranium-238 nucleus less than the

binding energy of carbon-12 and the coulomb force inside uranium238 nucleus greater than the coulomb force inside carbon-12
nucleus therefore uranium-238 nucleus less stable than carbon-12
nucleus.
32

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CHAPTER 26

Exercise 26.1 :
Given c =3.00108 m s1, mn=1.00867 u, mp=1.00782 u
1.

Calculate the binding energy in joule of a deuterium nucleus.

The mass of a deuterium nucleus is 3.34428 1027 kg.

ANS. : 2.781013 J
2.

The mass of neon-20 nucleus

20
10 Ne

is 19.99244 u. Calculate

the binding energy per nucleon of neon-20 nucleus in MeV

per nucleon.
ANS. : 8.03 MeV/nucleon
3.

Determine the energy required to remove one neutron from an

oxygen-16 16 O . The atomic mass for oxygen-16 is
8
15.994915 u

(Physics, 3rd edition, James S. Walker, Q39, p.1108)

ANS. : 15.7 MeV

33

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CHAPTER 26

Next Chapter
CHAPTER 30 :
Nuclear reaction

34