Electron vs. Nucleon Release – Rankers Physics
Topic: Modern Physics
Subtopic: Atomic Structure

Electron vs. Nucleon Release

Assertion (A): It is easier to release an orbital electron, but quite difficult to release a nucleon.
Reason (R): An electron is much lighter than a nucleon.
 
Both (A) & (R) are true and the (R) is the correct explanation of the (A)
Both (A) & (R) are true but the (R) is not the correct explanation of the (A)
(A) is true but (R) is false
Both (A) and (R) are false

Solution:

Electron binding energies are in eV, nucleon binding energies in MeV, so (A) is true. Electron mass \(9.11 \times 10^{-31}\text{ kg}\) is much less than nucleon mass \(1.67 \times 10^{-27}\text{ kg}\), so (R) is true. The difference in ease of release is due to different fundamental forces, not primarily mass. So (R) does not explain (A).

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