megaelectron volt
Quick Summary
The term "megaelectron volt" (MeV) is a unit of energy commonly used in atomic and nuclear physics. It represents one million electron volts. An electron volt is the energy gained by an electron when it moves across an electrical potential difference of one volt.12
MeV is frequently used when discussing nuclear binding energy, which is the energy required to separate an atomic nucleus into its protons and neutrons. For instance, separating a deuterium nucleus requires 2.23 MeV of energy. This unit is also used to quantify the energy released or absorbed in nuclear reactions.3
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