Answer
The binding energy per nucleon is highest for intermediate-size nuclei.
Work Step by Step
As Figure 43.2 shows, the binding energy per nucleon is highest for intermediate-size nuclei.
When a large nucleus splits into intermediate-size nuclei, there is a large release of energy because the sum of the masses of the daughter nuclei is less than the mass of the original nucleus. The missing mass has been converted into kinetic and thermal energy.
