The mass of a proton is 1.6726 × 10^-27 kg and the mass of a neutron is 1.6606 × 10^-27 kg. A proton captures a neutron forming a deuterium nucleus. One would expect the mass of this nucleus to be A) less than (1.6726 + 1.6606) × 10^-27 kg. B) greater than (1.6726 + 1.6606) × 10^-27 kg. C) equal to (1.6726 + 1.6606) × 10^-27 kg.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mass of the deuterium nucleus is less than the sum of the masses of a proton and a neutron due to the mass defect, which is the mass converted into binding energy according to Einstein's equation, E=mc^2.

The Mass of a Proton Is 1