• Question: I meant why does a nucleus, which is incredibly small, create so much energy?

    Asked by itssmeemayaa to Sarah, Will on 22 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Sarah Martin

      Sarah Martin answered on 22 Jun 2012:


      Hi itssmeemayaa!

      It’s because the nuclear force – from your previous question!

      You’re absolutely right that during nuclear fission of heavy nuclei into two smaller ones, lots of energy is produced. This is because binding energy of the two smaller nuclei is greater than that of the heavy one, because they’re more bunched up. Binding energy also reduces the mass of nuclei by a tiny little bit. The larger the binding energy of nuclei, the larger the bit of mass that’s missing – this is the weird part – and it’s that reduced bit of mass that is responsible for the energy released, because E = m * c * c (or m c squared) and c is 300000000 metres per second and a really big number, particularly once it’s squared , and multiplied even by a tiny bit of mass that gives a lot of energy!

      🙂 Sarah

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