separation energy
- noun
- /ˌsɛpəˈreɪʃən ˈɛnərdʒi/
- Specialized
:
energía de separación
- Scientists calculated the separation energy to better understand nuclear stability.
Examples
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The separation energy of a neutron from this isotope is particularly high.
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A low separation energy often suggests that a nucleus is close to radioactive decay.
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The separation energy is crucial.
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What is separation energy?
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A low separation energy indicates that the nucleus can easily lose its particles, suggesting potential instability.
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To investigate their properties, physicists measure the separation energy of various atomic nuclei.
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Understanding the separation energy helps scientists predict how elements will behave in nuclear reactions.
Synonyms
1
7.4
Energy needed to separate the parts of an atom, nucleus, or molecule
The energy needed to break all the bonds in a molecule into separate atoms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound literally denotes the amount of 'energy' associated with 'separation' — i.e., energy required to separate something — so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the basic meaning. While the precise scientific context (particles, nuclei) is technical, the core compositional idea is straightforward and follows normal English noun–noun composition patterns.
Etymology
The noun separation energy makes a simple picture: imagine two stuck parts and the effort to pull them apart, with separation as the pulling and energy as the effort. In science, it is the amount of energy needed to 'remove' a particle from an atom or nucleus, so the phrase shows how tightly that particle is held.