Why does increase in binding energy lead to release of energy?

Question

Please explain in the easiest way, I’m very dumb lol

In: Physics

Answer 1

I don’t think it does. Binding energy is the amount of energy needed to separate a particle from a system, like releasing an electron bound to an atom. So the larger the binding energy, the more energy you need to put in to get that electron out. If you put exactly the binding energy into that electron then it uses all of that energy to escape the atom and leaves with no extra energy.

If the binding energy is 5eV and you put 8eV into that electron, it uses 5eV to escape the atom and leaves with the left over 3eV.