The isotope Cobalt-60 has a nuclear mass of 59.933820 ?

Question

The isotope Cobalt-60 has a nuclear mass of 59.933820 u

Calculate the Mass Defect of Cobalt-60 using the following information.

Mass of Proton: 1.007825 u

Mass of Neutron: 1.008665 u

1 u = 931.5 MeV

Answer 1

Nuclei are made up of protons and neutron, but the mass of a nucleus is always less than the sum of the individual masses of the protons and neutrons which constitute it. The difference is a measure of the nuclear binding energy which holds the nucleus together. This binding energy can be calculated from the Einstein relationship:

Nuclear binding energy = Δmc2

number of protons x 1.007825 x 931.5 MeV = X

number of neutrons x 1.008665 x 931.5 MeV = Y

Add these energies = X + Y

59.933820 x 931.5 MeV = Z

Subtract

(X+Y) -Z = Nuclear binding energy

Divide by the total number of nucleons (the sum of all protons and neutrons in Co60, that will give you the

binding energy/ nucleon