A student writes the following statements about the relationship between mass defect and nuclear binding energy. 1. When an isotope’s protons and neutrons come together to form a nuclide, a small amount of mass is converted to energy. 2. An equivalent amount of energy must be added to the nuclide to split apart its protons and neutrons. 3. Statement 1 describes the isotope’s nuclear binding energy, and statement 2 describes the isotope’s mass defect. Which statement is correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. 1 and 2 only
D. 1, 2, and 3
