Rucete ✏ Chemistry In a Nutshell
1. Difference Between Nuclear and Chemical Reactions
| Feature | Nuclear Reaction | Chemical Reaction |
|---|---|---|
| What Changes? | Atomic nucleus changes (new elements may form) | Valence electrons rearrange (atoms remain the same) |
| Affected by Temperature, Pressure, or Catalysts? | No | Yes |
| Chemical Environment Influence? | No effect | Can influence reaction |
| Energy Released | Millions of eV (MeV) | Few to hundreds of eV |
2. Key Properties of Nuclear Reactions
- Much higher energy output than chemical reactions.
- Occurs in the atomic nucleus, not in electron shells.
- Can result in a change of element identity (e.g., uranium decaying into lead).
- Not affected by external conditions (e.g., pressure, temperature, catalysts).
3. Types of Nuclear Reactions
- Nuclear Fission (Splitting of heavy nuclei, e.g., in nuclear power plants).
- Nuclear Fusion (Combining of light nuclei, e.g., in the sun).
- Radioactive Decay (Spontaneous emission of radiation, e.g., alpha, beta decay).
In a nutshell
"Nuclear = Nucleus Changes, Chemical = Electron Changes!"
- Nuclear reactions change the atom itself.
- Chemical reactions only rearrange electrons.
- Nuclear reactions release much more energy than chemical ones.
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Chemistry in a nutshell