Beyond iron, the binding energy per nucleon gradually decreases. This happens because the repulsive electrostatic force between protons begins to overcome the short-range strong nuclear force. Saturation Region: Between mass numbers , the binding energy is relatively constant (around
), indicating that nuclear forces are "saturated" in mid-sized nuclei. The curve of binding energy
The shape of the curve dictates how we can extract energy from the atom: Beyond iron, the binding energy per nucleon gradually
) . It illustrates the stability of atomic nuclei and explains why certain nuclear reactions—like fusion and fission—release energy. Peak Stability: The curve peaks around a mass number of to The curve of binding energy