Is there more energy released in a nuclear reaction or a chemical reaction?

Answer 1

The principle difference between them lies in how the reaction occurs, specifically how the atom is affected. Chemical reactions involve an atom's electrons while nuclear reactions involve the atom's nucleus.

Answer 2

A chemical reaction is just a simple reaction, that can be held under normal circumstances, usually within range of enthalpy, but as far as a nuclear reaction is concerned it is always continued under special conditions releasing enormous amount of energy, normally inhuman for human nature, unless used in a proper manner.

Answer 3

Nuclear. Hands down. More energy is stored in intramolecular bonds than in intermolecular bonds. Intramolecular bonds are broken/formed during nuclear reactions, whereas chemical reactions involve intermolecular forces and bonds.

Answer 4

Yes, Nuclear reaction, once it gets started, it can't be stopped; a chain reaction. That's why energy is emitted continuously and hence more energy is emitted.

Also, energy in chem has more to do with heat. Nuclear reactions involve the release of the energy that holds together atoms themselves. You know the famous formula, E=mc2? If E= Energy released, c=speed of light in a vacuum (constant, 3.0x108), m=mass defect -- that is, the difference between the actual mass of the atom and the theoretical mass (calculated by (mass of atom in kg)-(#of protons*(weight of a proton)+Number of neutrons*(weight of a neutron)).

For example, the (theoretical amount of) energy released by a single nucleus of Uranium 235.

E=((235u*1.66053886*10-27)-((143neutrons*1.6749272928×10−27)+(92protons*1.67262163783×10−27)))*(3.0*108)2

E=((3.902266321*10-25)-(2.395146028704x10-25+1.5388119068036*10-25))*(9.0*1016)

E=(3.16916145076*10-25kg)*(9.0*1016m2s-2)

E=2.852245305684*10-10J

That may not sound like a lot, but that's a single nucleus. For a whole mole, multiply by the Avogadro constant:

E=2.852245305684*10-10J*(6.02*1023)=171705167402176.8 J= 1.717051674021768*1011kJ... Then there's the whole chain-reaction thing...

As a bench-mark, the combustion of Vanadium oxide and aluminum (a kind of thermite; chemical reaction) unleashes 3726.7 kJ/mol, or about 6 orders of magnitude (one million times) less.

Answer 5

The nuclear reaction involve the atomic nucleus.

Answer 6

The nuclear reaction involve changes in the atomic nucleus.