Answer:
The mass defect for the formation of phosphorus-31 is 0.273995 amu
Step-by-step explanation:
Step 1: Data given
A phosphorus-31 nucleus has 15 protons and 16 neutrons
The masses of a proton anda neutron are 1.00728 and 1.00866 amu
Step 2: Calculate the mass defect
The mass defect is the difference between the mass of a nucleus and the total mass of its constituent particles.
The mass of 15 protons = 15 * 1.00728 = 15.1092 amu
The mass of 16 neutrons = 16 * 1.00866 = 16.13856 amu
The mass of protons + neutrons = 15.1092 amu + 16.13856 amu = 31.24776 amu
The mass defect = 31.24776 - 30.973765 = 0.273995 amu
The mass defect for the formation of phosphorus-31 is 0.273995 amu