Astudent writes the following statements about the relationship between mass defect and nuclear binding energy.
1. when an isotope’s protons and neutrons come together to form a nuclide, a small amount of mass is converted to energy
. 2. an equivalent amount of energy must be added to the nuclide to split apart its protons and neutrons.
3. statement 1 describes the isotope’s nuclear binding energy, and statement 2 describes the isotope’s mass defect.
which statement is correct?
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c.1 and 2 only
d.1, 2, and 3

C

Explanation:

Option C is correct, because statement 1 and 2 are both correct, while statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 3 should say: Statement 1 describes the isotope's mass defect, and statement 2 describes the isotope's binding energy.

Both statement 1 and 2 are correct, because it is only logical that (in statement 1) energy is needed to form a nuclide, and the only way for that energy to be present is if some mass is converted into energy, and (in statement 2) it is only logical that the same amount of energy needed to form the bonds, would be needed to break the bonds.

e/c, where e is its total energy