Universal equality of masses of nucleons and binding energy of the nucleus

Abstract

There are two inherent observations: firstly, masses of nucleons are fundamental constants, i.e., they are the same universally (inside and outside the nucleus in all cases); and secondly, nuclei possess Binding Energy (BE) (Δmc?) owing to a mass defect. To explain these observations, in the case of the deuteron (BE = 2.2244 MeV), the mass defect of nucleons must be 0.002388 amu or about 0.118 54% of the mass of nucleons, i.e., nucleons must be lighter in the nucleus. This is not experimentally justified. If the generalised equation ΔE = Ac?Δm is applied, then it explains both observations simultaneously, i.e., the equality of masses of nuclei (assuming an infinitesimally small mass defect) and the BE. According to ΔE = Ac?Δm, even with an infinitesimally small mass defect (2.388 ? 10−4 amu, for example), the BE of the deuteron can be 2.2244 MeV owing to the presence of the conversion factor A.