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Any-Growth8158 t1_iy9h94s wrote

Reply to comment by geekpeeps in ELI5: why 2 hydrogen atoms hold more energy and less mass than 1 helium atom? by TheLapisBee

I'd assume that diatomic hydrogen having more energy than a helium atom is discounting the mass energy of the neutrons...

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geekpeeps t1_iy9jsss wrote

It’s about the interactions between the two as they move away and toward each other. Helium will have complete a electron shell and the nucleus is basically at rest. Hydrogen as (H - H) is stable but reactive. Helium is inert.

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