Answer to Question #154015 in Quantum Mechanics for Ralph

Question

In a nuclear reactions, the mass of the products was determined to be less considerable than the mass of the reactants. Explain 

Answer 1

The total energy required to liberate all the nucleons is called nuclear binding energy of the nucleus. The binding energy of the nucleus is provided by the mass defect which is only a small fraction of mass difference between mass of reactants and products.

In a nuclear reaction the total mass of the products of the reaction is less than the total mass of the reactants. This mass difference is converted to the kinetic energy of the emerging neutron and the recoiling nucleus.