All Questions
Tagged with neutrons binding-energy
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The difference between neutron and proton separation energy of a nucleus
For a given nucleus, why does the value of the neutron separation energy $S_n$ differ from the value of the proton separation energy $S_p$? One of the reasons that is immediately obvious is that the ...
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In a fission reaction mass is converted to energy my students are asking where the mass is taken from - do the nucleons have less mass afterwards? [duplicate]
I am teaching year 11 Physics for the first time. In a fission reaction mass is converted to energy my students are asking where the mass is taken from - do the nucleons have less mass afterwards?
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Why are nuclei with large numbers of neutrons only stable with correspondingly large numbers of protons? [duplicate]
Large numbers of protons need to be separated by neutrons, otherwise they repel....
But why do nuclei with large of numbers of neutrons only remain stable with a relatively, correspondingly large ...
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Why can protons and neutrons be close together in a nucleus despite the uncertainty principle?
Vol II, Chapter 1 of the Feynman Lectures explains why negative electrons do not get closer to the positively charged nucleus despite the great attractive force:
If we try to confine our electrons in ...
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Why doesn't a nucleus-like body made up of just neutrons exist?
We know that neutrons exert short ranged nuclear forces over other nucleons in a nucleus, and these forces are only attractive in nature. Also this force is universal and doesn't differentiate between ...
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How is Alpha Radiation possible?
Alpha radiation would seem to occur when a pair of protons and neutrons are magically plucked from the amorphous (i.e. having no particular structure) nucleus of a heavier atom.
Some of the problems ...
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Why is there a discrepancy between $m_n-m_p$ and $m_d-m_u$?
The difference in mass between a neutron and a proton is $1.3\space {\rm MeV}/c^2$, but the mass difference between an up quark and a down quark is $2.5\space{\rm MeV}/c^2$. How come the mass ...
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Is the nuclear binding energy of a free neutron 0?
This might be a silly question. I've always assumed that the neutron had a binding energy of 0 because it's only one nucleon that isn't interacting with any others most of the time, just like a proton....
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Is it possible that two neutrons can merge?
At the center of neutron stars are tightly packed neutrons with almost no space between them. Also, proton and electron have all merged (electron capture) forming as much neutrons as possible. When ...
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How do nuclear fuel rods get "spent"? Why can't you just throw neutrons at them?
The idea of fuel rods being both "spent" and dangerously radioactive has always seemed to me to be self-contradictory. The typical explanation given is that the human body and environment ...
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Can neutronium, (as in the exotic -onium atom composed of $n\bar n$ and not the degenerate matter kind) exist?
First off I'd like to say yeas I know what neutron-degenerate matter aka neutronium is and how it's likely what's inside neutron starts, this isn't what the wuestion is abount. I am referring to an -...
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Why free neutrons are usually produced in a Nuclear Fission?
The production of neutrons is a feature of fission reaction. Usually 2-3 free neutrons are produced in the fission. Why is that so?
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Why are nuclides with an even number of protons and neutrons more stable?
I am currently learning about Radioactivity and Nuclear Physics. Why are nuclides with an even number of protons and neutrons more stable?
I have read that nuclides with an even number of protons or ...
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Stable number of neutrons for a given nucleus with $Z$ protons [closed]
I have been trying to derive an expression for the stable number of neutrons using the semi-empirical mass formula. I tried to derive it by dividing the Ma by total number of nucleons and then ...
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Nuclear force and binding energy
What i read about binding energy is that it is the energy released when nucleus is formed due to the attraction of the strong nuclear force between nucleons. But even after the nucleus is formed, the ...
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