If energy is released when the parts of a system are allowed to disperse to infinity, its binding energy is
A) Positive.
B) Negative.
C) Zero.
D) Not defined in such a case.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When energy is released as the parts of a system disperse, it indicates that energy must be supplied to bring the parts together. This means the system had a negative binding energy, as binding energy is defined as the energy required to separate a system into its components infinitely far apart.

If Energy Is Released When the Parts of a System