), indicating that nuclear forces are "saturated" in mid-sized nuclei.
For very light elements like Hydrogen, the binding energy is low but increases sharply as mass number increases. This steep gradient explains why nuclear fusion (combining light nuclei) releases a massive amount of energy. The curve of binding energy
Light nuclei move "up" the curve to become more stable by fusing together. This process powers stars like our Sun. ), indicating that nuclear forces are "saturated" in