Nuclear binding energy (Question 2 (7+8=15 Marks)) — UPSC Physics Optional IFoS 2021 Paper II

(i) What is nuclear binding energy and how does it vary with mass number of the nucleus ? (ii) Calculate the binding energy per nucleon of {}^{4}\text{He}. Given m (^{4}\text{He}) = 4\cdot 002602\text{ u}, m_p = 1\cdot 007825\text{ u} and m_n = 1\cdot 008665\text{ u}.