The Student Room Group

Binding energy

Fusion reactions in the Sun combine four protons to form a nucleus of helium-4. A helium atom has an atomic mass 4.00260 u.
proton mass = 1.00728 u.
neutron mass = 1.00867 u.
electron mass = 0.00055 u.
Calculate:
(i) Write a balanced nuclear equation representing this process.
(ii) Calculate the energy released when one nucleus of helium-4 is produced in this way.

For the first part i get 4 hydrogen = Helium +2 electrons+ 2 neutrinos and energy in the form of gamma rays.
For the second part I always get a different answer to what is on the mark scheme, which is 3.99*10^-12 Joules, and I can't work out what i am doing wrong. I calculate the mass defect of helium in kg and use E=mc^2 to calculate the energy released but my answer is always larger.
Any help would be appreciated.
Original post by Wqyds
Fusion reactions in the Sun combine four protons to form a nucleus of helium-4. A helium atom has an atomic mass 4.00260 u.
proton mass = 1.00728 u.
neutron mass = 1.00867 u.
electron mass = 0.00055 u.
Calculate:
(i) Write a balanced nuclear equation representing this process.
(ii) Calculate the energy released when one nucleus of helium-4 is produced in this way.

For the first part i get 4 hydrogen = Helium +2 electrons+ 2 neutrinos and energy in the form of gamma rays.
For the second part I always get a different answer to what is on the mark scheme, which is 3.99*10^-12 Joules, and I can't work out what i am doing wrong. I calculate the mass defect of helium in kg and use E=mc^2 to calculate the energy released but my answer is always larger.
Any help would be appreciated.

i got 3.96x10^-12 when i used 1 u= 1.66x 10^-27 kg and c= 3x10^8
i think your mistake is in part 1. why did u include electrons (and neutrinos) being formed? it just says 4 protons fuse to form a nucleus , it doesn't mention anything about electrons.
if you remove the electrons and calculate the mass defect things work out to what i got

Quick Reply

Latest