How much energy is released when a 238U nucleus decays by emitting?

(a) An alpha particle and

(b) A sequence of neutron, proton, neutron, proton?

(c) Convince yourself both by reasoned argument and by direct calculation that the difference between these two numbers is just the total binding energy of the alphaparticle.

Transcribed Image Text:

238U 238.050 79 u 23U 237.048 73 u 2Pa 236.04891 u 235 Pa 235.045 44 u 234TH 234.043 63 u 4.002 60 u 1.007 83 u "He 1.008 66 u