Compared to the sum of the masses of all the individual nucleons in their separate states that make up a nucleus, the mass of the composite nucleus is
A) less.
B) more.
C) the same.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mass of a composite nucleus is less than the sum of the masses of all the individual nucleons in their separate states due to the mass defect, which is the result of the binding energy holding the nucleus together.

Compared to the Sum of the Masses of All the Individual