Binding Energy

From Thermal-FluidsPedia

Figure 1 Energy can be liberated when the nuclei of light elements combine (fuse) to form heavier elements, or the nuclei of heavy elements are split to form lighter elements (fission). The energy release per unit mass of fuel from fusion is much more than that of fission.

The binding energy of a nucleus is a measure of how tightly its protons and neutrons are held together by nuclear forces. The binding energy per nucleon, the energy required to remove a neutron or a proton from a nucleus, varies with mass number and is shown in Figure 1. The figure implies that when a heavy nucleus (such as that of uranium) splits or two light nuclei (such as the nuclei of deuterium and tritium) coalesce, more stable nuclei form and energy is released. The former example describes fission, while the latter represents the basic mechanism that occurs in fusion reactions.

References

(1) Toossi Reza, "Energy and the Environment:Sources, technologies, and impacts", Verve Publishers, 2005

Further Reading

Bodansky, Nuclear Energy Principles, Practices, and Prospects, Second Ed., Springer, 2004.

Seaborg, G., T., Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, University Press of the Pacific, 2005.

International Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Design, Direct Science Elsevier Publishing Company, devoted to the Thermal, Mechanical, Material and Structural Aspects of Nuclear Fission.

Journal of Fusion Energy, Springer Netherlands. It features articles pertinent to development of thermonuclear fusion.

External Links

Federation of American Scientists (http://www.fas.org/nuke/intro/nuke/index.html).

International Atomic Energy Agency (http://www.iaea.org).

DoE Office of Nuclear Energy, Science & Technology (http://www.ne.doe.gov).

American Nuclear Society, (http://www.ans.org).

World Association of Nuclear Operator (WANO) (http://www.wano.org.uk).