Question

Nuclear mass M is found to be ______.

Options

• Always greater than total mass of its individual protons and neutrons

• Always equal to the total mass of its individual protons and neutrons

• Always less than total mass of its individual protons and neutrons

• Always equal to the total mass of its individual neutrons

Answer 1

Nuclear mass M is found to be always less than total mass of its individual protons and neutrons.

Explanation:

This is referred to as a mass defect. The mass defect of a nucleus is the difference between the mass of a nucleus and the sum of the masses of the nucleons that make it up, and it indicates the mass equivalent of the nucleus' binding energy.