Nuclear Binding Energy and the Force That Holds the Self Together

The nucleus of every atom is held together by the strong nuclear force - the most powerful of the four fundamental forces, operating over a range of approximately one femtometer (one quadrillionth of...

The nucleus of every atom is held together by the strong nuclear force - the most powerful of the four fundamental forces, operating over a range of approximately one femtometer (one quadrillionth of a meter).

The strong force overcomes the electromagnetic repulsion between the positively charged protons and binds them, together with the neutrons, into the dense nuclear core that constitutes the atom's mass.

The binding energy - the energy required to disassemble the nucleus into its individual nucleons - is the measure of the strong force's grip.

Iron-56 has the highest binding energy per nucleon of any element. It is the most tightly bound nucleus in nature. The most stable. The most resistant to both fusion and fission. The nuclear bedrock.