Mass Defect and Nuclear Binding Energy - Simplified Notes

 Nuclear Binding Energy

Nuclear binding energy is the energy required to break the nucleus into its constituent particles. (OR) It is the energy released when protons and neutrons come together to form a nucleus.

Lets say we have He-4 atom. This has 2 protons and two neutrons in its nucleus. These protons and neutrons are present as one mass in the nucleus and are stuck together something called nuclear strong force (we will talk about this later). 

Quantum Numbers - Simplified Notes

Quantum numbers are like the address of an electron. It tells where an electron is located around the nucleus of the atom. Just just we have home addresses, even electrons have an address of their location. Some parts of our address are not so specific of our location whereas other parts are. So, quantum numbers are like lines of your home address.There are 4 quantum numbers.

Everything You Need To Know About Nuclear Fission simplified

Nuclear Fission

Fission just like binary fission in Biology means splitting. 

It is the process in which a heavy atom splits into two or more lighter atoms that are more stable than the heavy atom. Here by the term heavy nucleus I mean an atom that has a pretty large mass number, say 92 (Uranium).

Just remember, anything that can undergo fission or split is called fissile.

Electron Cloud Model simplified

In this depiction we see a spinning fan. Can you see the blades? Can you tell their location at a given time? Not clearly right?  The electron cloud model works in a similar way. The blades being the electrons. 


Bohr talked about the electrons orbiting the atom's nucleus in a similar way planets orbiting the sun. Bohr's model is useful to understand the properties of the elements and their chemical interactions. However, it doesn't explain a lot of theories including the Stark effect, Zeeman effect and the behaviour of electrons except for the simplest types of atoms such as Hydrogen.