Which of the following is the correct definition of "Mass Defect" in nuclear physics?

Correct Answer: The difference between the rest mass of a nucleus and the sum of the rest masses of its constituent nucleons.

Subject: chemistry

• The difference between the mass of an electron and a proton.
• The sum of the masses of all electrons and protons in an atom.
• The difference between the rest mass of a nucleus and the sum of the rest masses of its constituent nucleons.
• The total mass lost when an atom transitions from an excited state to a ground state.

Explanation: • <b>Key Fact</b> Mass defect is the difference between the rest mass of a nucleus and the sum of individual masses of its nucleons. • <b>Supporting Detail</b> When nucleons bind to form a nucleus, mass is converted into Nuclear Binding Energy. • <b>Related Concept</b> Mass-energy equivalence is governed by Einstein's equation, E = mc². • <b>Why wrong options are wrong</b> Mass defect is strictly a nuclear phenomenon involving nucleons, not electrons or electronic orbits. • <b>Exam Trick</b> Mass Defect → Missing Mass → Converted into Binding Energy. • <b>Additional Info</b> Binding energy prevents positively charged protons in the nucleus from repelling apart.

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