A certain nuclide is said to be particularly stable. Does its binding energy per nucleon lie slightly above or slightly below the binding energy curve of Fig. 42-7?

A certain nuclide is said to be particularly stable.

Binding energy is the amount of energy required to separate a particle from a system of particles or to disperse all the particles of the system. Thus, the binding energy per nucleon is the energy divided by the mass number.

The binding energy of a nuclide as per the concept states that a stable radionuclide has more binding energy. As per figure, the stable nuclei binding energy lies in the high stable are of the curve. One such example of a nuclide is ${}^{62}\mathrm{Ni}$that has high binding energy per nucleon and is at the highest peak of the curve.

If a nuclide is particularly stable. Its binding energy per nucleon is slightly higher than the neighbors. The greater the binding energy per nucleon, the more stable the nucleus is.

Hence, the binding energy per nucleon of the certain nuclide lies slightly above the binding energy curve in figure.