What is the difference between an ordinary chemical equation and a nuclear equation?

Answer 1

An atomic bomb works by having a number of neutrons released from the nucleus, and these in turn will dislodge more neutrons from other atoms and so on. Provided the number of neutrons released continues to grow, a nuclear explosion will result.

A significant problem is in having enough neutrons released to start the chain reaction going. This will not usually take place with ordinary materials, and the starting material has to be made to release more neutrons than it would do naturally. This is done by compressing the start material, but as you know, trying to compress a solid is difficult. A spherical cage of conventional explosive (shaped charge) is the most common method.

Returning to the question, there is no single "equation". If you look up the work of folk like Richard Feynman, and J R Oppenheimer, you'll be better informed.

Answer 2

An ordinary chemical equation is for a chemical reaction, changing molecules into other molecules. The balanced numbers are numbers of atoms of particular elements.

A nuclear decay equation is for a nuclear reaction, changing an atom of an element into an atom of another element plus subatomic particles. The balanced numbers are numbers of subatomic particles of particular types.

Answer 3

A reaction usually means an interaction between the electrons of two or more elements or compounds in chemistry, where a new compound may be formed. A 'nuclear reaction' in the sense that you mean it, might be used to describe, for example, the capture of a slow neutron by an unstable nucleus like uranium 235 whereupon the nucleus divides into two roughly equal parts with the emission of several more neutrons. This can be written down as an equation:

U235+ 1 neutron (=) Rb90+143Cs+ 2 neutrons. Nucleon numbers are equal on both sides. There are several possibilities for the decay products - this is just one of many examples.

Answer 4

An ordinary chemical equation describes the rearrangement of atoms in a chemical reaction involving electrons, while a nuclear equation involves changes in the atomic nucleus through processes like radioactive decay or nuclear fusion. Nuclear equations typically include subatomic particles and may result in the transformation of one element into another.

Answer 5

nuclear reaction and nuclear equation

Answer 6

cxxcsdf