Nuclear composition and binding energy
Answers are for parents and teachers.
1
The ²³⁸U nucleus has Z = 92. How many neutrons?
146
2
What is the radius of a nucleus with A = 125 (R₀ = 1.2·10⁻¹⁵ m)?
6·10⁻¹⁵ m
3
A = 200 and the binding energy per nucleon is 8 MeV. What is the total E_bind in MeV?
1600
4
How many electrons does a neutral ³¹₁₅P atom have?
15
5
Why does E_bind/A decrease for the heaviest nuclei such as uranium?
As the number of protons grows, the repulsion between them grows, and short-range nuclear forces cannot fully compensate it.