Is it possible that a nucleus has negative mass defect?

Explanation

To determine whether a nucleus can have a negative mass defect, we need to understand what mass defect is and its implications in nuclear physics. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the solution:

### Step 1: Define Mass Defect
Mass defect is defined as the difference between the mass of a nucleus and the sum of the individual masses of its constituent protons and neutrons. It can be expressed mathematically as:
\[ \text{Mass Defect} (\Delta M) = \text{(Total mass of individual nucleons)} - \text{(Mass of the nucleus)} \]

### Step 2: Understand Binding Energy
The mass defect is closely related to the binding energy of the nucleus, which is the energy required to disassemble the nucleus into its individual nucleons. According to Einstein's mass-energy equivalence principle, this relationship can be expressed as:
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