A heavy nucleus X of mass number 240 and binding energy per nucleon 7.6 MeV is split into two fragments Y and Z of mass numbers 110 and 130. The binding energy per nucleon in Y and Z is 8.5 MeV per nucleon. Calculate the energy Q released per fission in MeV.
Energy released Q = (MY + MZ )C2 – MX C2
= 8.5 (110 + 130) MeV – 7.6 × 240 MeV
= (8.5 – 7.6) × 240 MeV
= 0.9 × 240 MeV = 2.16 MeV
