Which of these statements explains the difference between nuclear binding energy and the strong nuclear force? Check all that apply.

Nuclear binding energy is the energy required to separate a nucleus into its protons and neutrons, so B is correct. The strong nuclear force is the attractive force that holds protons and neutrons together in the nucleus, so C is correct. Binding energy is related to the nucleus’s mass defect by Einstein’s equation, E = mc², making F correct. Binding energy is energy, not the force that holds particles together, and the strong force is not the energy released in radioactive decay.

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