As one moves along the line of stability from 56Fe to U235 nucleus the...
Due to short range nature of nuclear forces and long range nature of coulombic force, the binding energy per nuclear decreases fr om Fe56 to U235.
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As one moves along the line of stability from 56Fe to U235 nucleus the...
Explanation:
The binding energy per nucleon is the energy required to separate a nucleus into its constituent nucleons. As we move along the line of stability from 56Fe to U235 nucleus, the binding energy per nucleon decreases from 8 MeV to 7.6 MeV. This trend is mainly due to the short-range nature of the nuclear forces.
Short-Range Nature of Nuclear Forces:
Nuclear forces are short-range forces that act between nucleons (protons and neutrons) in the nucleus. These forces are mediated by the exchange of mesons (pions). The range of these forces is limited to the diameter of the nucleus (about 10-15 meters).
As the number of nucleons in the nucleus increases, the distance between them also increases. This reduces the strength of the nuclear forces between them. Therefore, the binding energy per nucleon decreases as we move along the line of stability from 56Fe to U235 nucleus.
Long-Range Nature and Tensor Nature of Nuclear Forces:
Long-range forces such as the electromagnetic force and the gravitational force act between particles at large distances. These forces are not responsible for the binding of nucleons in the nucleus.
Tensor forces are a special type of nuclear force that arises due to the spin and angular momentum of the nucleons. These forces are responsible for the deformation of the nucleus and the splitting of energy levels in the nucleus. However, these forces do not significantly affect the binding energy per nucleon.
Spin Dependence of Nuclear Forces:
Nuclear forces are spin-dependent, meaning that they are different for nucleons with different spin orientations. However, this spin dependence does not significantly affect the binding energy per nucleon.
Conclusion:
Therefore, the correct answer is option 'A', which states that the trend of decreasing binding energy per nucleon as we move along the line of stability from 56Fe to U235 nucleus is mainly due to the short-range nature of the nuclear forces.