When two nuclei (with A=8) join to form a heavier nucleus , the binding energy (B.E) per nucleon of the heavier nuclei is

Answer

To solve the problem, we need to analyze the binding energy per nucleon of two nuclei with mass number A = 8 that combine to form a heavier nucleus. Let's break down the solution step by step.

### Step 1: Identify the initial nuclei
We have two nuclei, each with a mass number \( A = 8 \). Let's denote these nuclei as \( X \).

### Step 2: Determine the mass number of the resulting nucleus
When these two nuclei combine, the mass number of the resulting nucleus \( Y \) will be:
\[ A_Y = A_X + A_X = 8 + 8 = 16 \]
Thus, the mass number of the heavier nucleus \( Y \) is 16.

### Step 3: Understand binding energy per nucleon
The binding energy per nucleon (B.E per nucleon) is defined as the total binding energy of a nucleus divided by the number of nucleons in that nucleus. It is a measure of the stability of the nucleus:
\[ \text{B.E per nucleon} = \frac{\text{Total binding energy}}{\text{Number of nucleons}} \]

### Step 4: Compare the stability of the nuclei
The stability of a nucleus is related to its binding energy per nucleon. Generally, when smaller nuclei combine to form a larger nucleus, the larger nucleus tends to be more stable due to a higher binding energy per nucleon. Therefore, we can conclude that:
\[ \text{B.E per nucleon of } Y > \text{B.E per nucleon of } X \]

### Step 5: Conclusion
Since the binding energy per nucleon of the heavier nucleus \( Y \) is greater than that of the smaller nuclei \( X \), we can state that the binding energy per nucleon of the heavier nucleus is indeed higher.

Thus, the answer to the question is:
\[ \text{The binding energy per nucleon of the heavier nucleus is greater than that of the lighter nuclei.} \]