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Fission and fusion are two processes that can result in the transfer of binding energy from nuclei - AQA - A-Level Physics - Question 6 - 2022 - Paper 2
Question 6
Fission and fusion are two processes that can result in the transfer of binding energy from nuclei. 06.1 State what is meant by the binding energy of a nucleus. 06... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Fission and fusion are two processes that can result in the transfer of binding energy from nuclei - AQA - A-Level Physics - Question 6 - 2022 - Paper 2
Step 1
State what is meant by the binding energy of a nucleus.
Answer
The binding energy of a nucleus is defined as the energy required to separate the nucleus into its individual protons and neutrons. It represents the stability of the nucleus; a higher binding energy indicates a more stable nucleus.
Step 2
Calculate, in MeV, the binding energy for a nucleus of iron \(^{56}_{26}Fe\).
Answer
To calculate the binding energy, we use the equation:
Where:
- (\Delta m) = mass defect
- (c) = speed of light (approximately (3.00 \times 10^8) m/s)
Assuming the mass defect is calculated using binding energy data (which would typically be referenced from a data book), we can find:
- Total mass of nucleons for (^{56}_{26}Fe) (26 protons + 30 neutrons)
- The binding energy calculated as approximately 490 MeV.
Step 3
Annotate Figure 10 with F1 and F2 to show one possible pair of nuclides resulting from the fission of X.
Answer
In Figure 10, the nuclide labelled X can undergo fission to produce two lighter nuclides F1 and F2. However, the exact nucleides should be positioned symmetrically about the peak of the average binding energy curve, indicating a fission reaction. For example, if F1 is (^{30}{14}Si) and F2 is (^{26}{12}Mg), place them accordingly on the graph at their respective nucleon numbers.
Step 4
Deduce the likely initial mode of decay of F1 and F2.
Answer
Referring to Figure 11, we can assess that both F1 and F2 likely undergo beta decay. This can be deduced from their positions in the graph, which lie outside the region of stability for stable nuclides. Therefore, depending on their neutron to proton ratio, they will aim to move towards the stability line, likely emitting beta particles in the process.