Kötésenergiadefektus

Kötésenergiadefektus translates to "binding energy defect" in English. It is a concept primarily encountered in nuclear physics and chemistry. This term refers to the difference between the mass of a nucleus and the sum of the masses of its individual constituent nucleons (protons and neutrons). According to Einstein's mass-energy equivalence principle, E=mc², this mass difference, known as the mass defect, is converted into energy when the nucleus is formed from its constituent particles. This energy is the binding energy that holds the nucleus together.

The binding energy defect is therefore a measure of the stability of a nucleus. A larger binding energy defect indicates a more stable nucleus because more energy was released during its formation. Conversely, a smaller binding energy defect suggests a less stable nucleus. This concept is crucial for understanding nuclear reactions, such as nuclear fission and fusion, where changes in binding energy drive the release or absorption of energy. For instance, in nuclear fission, heavy nuclei split into lighter nuclei, and the products have a greater binding energy per nucleon than the original nucleus, resulting in a net release of energy. In nuclear fusion, light nuclei combine to form heavier nuclei, and again, the resulting nucleus is more tightly bound, releasing energy. The binding energy defect helps quantify these energy changes.