Dictionary
bind'ing en"ergy
Physics.
1. Also called
separation energy. the energy required to decompose a molecule, atom, or nucleus into its constituent particles, equal to the energy equivalent of the mass defect.
2. the energy required to separate a single particle or group of particles from a molecule, atom, or nucleus. Cf.
mass defect.Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.