Question

A student writes the following statements about the relationship between mass defect and nuclear binding energy.

Answer 1

Answer:

C

Explanation:

Option C is correct, because statement 1 and 2 are both correct, while statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 3 should say: Statement 1 describes the isotope's mass defect, and statement 2 describes the isotope's binding energy.

Both statement 1 and 2 are correct, because it is only logical that (in statement 1) energy is needed to form a nuclide, and the only way for that energy to be present is if some mass is converted into energy, and (in statement 2) it is only logical that the same amount of energy needed to form the bonds, would be needed to break the bonds.

Answer 2

C.

Statement 2 describes the binding energy and statement 1 describes the mass defect.