The variation of binding energy per nucleon as a function of mass number shows sharp peak for nuclei like \( {}^{4}\mathrm{He} \) and carbon. This implies that the nuclei
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → are very stable.
The binding energy per nucleon measures how firmly each nucleon is held. A sharp peak for \( {}^{4}\mathrm{He} \) and \( {}^{12}\mathrm{C} \) means that their nucleons are more tightly bound than in the neighbouring nuclei. More energy is needed per nucleon to pull them apart, so these nuclei are very stable.