Of Binding Energy | The Curve

The curve of binding energy is a graph that plots against the atomic mass number (

), indicating that nuclear forces are "saturated" in mid-sized nuclei. The curve of binding energy

Light nuclei move "up" the curve to become more stable by fusing together. This process powers stars like our Sun. The curve of binding energy is a graph

Beyond iron, the binding energy per nucleon gradually decreases. This happens because the repulsive electrostatic force between protons begins to overcome the short-range strong nuclear force. Saturation Region: Between mass numbers , the binding energy is relatively constant (around The curve of binding energy

The shape of the curve dictates how we can extract energy from the atom: