Question

The isotope Cobalt-60 has a nuclear mass of 59.933820 u

Calculate the Mass Defect of Cobalt-60 using the following information.
Mass of Proton: 1.007825 u
Mass of Neutron: 1.008665 u
1 u = 931.5 MeV

Answer 1

Using the Einstein relationship:

Nuclear binding energy = Δmc^2

number of protons x 1.007825 x 931.5 Me V = X

number of neutrons x 1.008665 x 931.5 Me V = Y

Adding up these energies = X + Y

59.933820 x 931.5 Me V = Z

Subtract Z from (X+Y)

(X+Y) -Z = Nuclear binding energy

Divide by the total number of nucleons by the sum of all protons and neutrons in Co 60

(524.807 Me V)/(60 nucleons) = 8.74678 Me V/nucleon.