Which of the masses is greater: the mass of the atomic nucleus or the sum of the masses of noninteracting nucleons

Which of the masses is greater: the mass of the atomic nucleus or the sum of the masses of noninteracting nucleons that make up the atomic nucleus? Why?

The sum of the masses of noninteracting nucleons is greater than the mass of the nucleus. The decrease in the energy of the nucleus of an atom in comparison with the sum of the energies of its constituent particles can be explained as follows. In order to obtain an atomic nucleus from individual nucleons, they must be brought closer to a distance at which nuclear forces manifest themselves. Under the influence of these forces, protons and neutrons will rush towards each other with acceleration. In this case, the accelerated motion of charged particles (protons) will be accompanied by the emission of electromagnetic will. As a result, there is a decrease in the energy of the atomic nucleus. It follows from the law of conservation of energy that to separate the nucleus into its component parts, it is necessary to spend the same amount of energy that is released during its formation.