Answer: Volume, surface, Coulomb, asymmetry, and pairing.
- A Volume, surface, Coulomb, asymmetry, and pairing
- B Mainly the volume term and the surface term, with nothing else
- C Mainly the Coulomb repulsion term, with little other contributions
- D Just a single overall binding energy term with little further structure
Correct answer: A. Volume, surface, Coulomb, asymmetry, and pairing
Explanation: Semi-empirical formula: EB = aV A - aS A2/3 - aC Z(Z-1)/A1/3 - aA (A-2Z)²/A ± delta (pairing). Five terms capture nuclear physics.
Binding energy per nucleon rises sharply for light nuclei, peaks around iron-56 (the most stable nucleus), then slowly declines for heavier nuclei - which is exactly why fusing light nuclei or splitting heavy nuclei both release energy: each moves the products toward this stability peak.
Concept context
Radioactivity, nuclear reactions, fission, fusion, and binding energy.