<p align="right">Last Update: <font color="#4f81bd">July, 29, 2024</font></p>
## BIG IDEAS
- The higher the binding energy per nucleon, the more stable the nucleus.
- The mass of a nucleus is slightly less than the sum of the masses of its constituent protons and neutrons. This "missing" mass, called the mass defect, has been converted into binding energy that holds the nucleus together.
- Binding energy plays a crucial role in nuclear reactions such as [[fission]] and [[fusion]].
- Symbol $E_b$
- Units $MeV/u$ ($u$ is the atomic mass unit)
### Formula
$E_b \ = \ \Delta m \times c^2 $
where $E_b$ is the binding energy, $c$ is the speed of light in a vacuum ($c = 3 \times 10^8 m/s$), and $\Delta m$ is the [[mass defect]].
Note: $1 u = 931.5 \frac{MeV}{c^2}$
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