Is this good for educators?

Yes — this version of "Nuclear Binding Energy for a cosmic-ray count" is framed for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs.

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No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.

For Educators · Nuclear Binding Energy

Nuclear Binding Energy for a cosmic-ray count

Built for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs. Simulate a cosmic-ray count live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.

Nuclear Binding EnergyLive

why stars shine and bombs work

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Mass number A

The binding energy per nucleon measures how tightly a nucleus is held together, peaking at iron-56. Light nuclei release energy by fusing toward that peak — the power source of stars; heavy nuclei release energy by splitting toward it — the basis of fission reactors and bombs. Iron is the ash where both paths end.

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Data Inspector

BE per nucleon8.72 MeV

Total BE488 MeV

Energy pathfission releases energy

Governing equation

\frac{B}{A} = a_{V} - a_{S} A^{- 1/3} - a_{C} \frac{Z ( Z - 1 )}{A ^{4/3}} - a_{A} \frac{( A - 2 Z ) ^{2}}{A ^{2}} + \frac{δ}{A} = 8.72 MeV, A = 56

Reading this result: Iron-56 sits at the very peak — the most tightly bound nucleus, where neither fusion nor fission can extract any more energy.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this good for educators?: Yes — this version of "Nuclear Binding Energy for a cosmic-ray count" is framed for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs.
Do I need to install anything?: No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.