Both Chemical and nuclear reactions form new substances.
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Both nuclear and chemical reactions involve a change in the arrangement of atoms in a substance, resulting in the formation of new products. Additionally, both types of reactions involve the release or absorption of energy in the form of heat or light.
Nuclear
A nuclear reaction does not involve the breaking or forming of chemical bonds between atoms. Instead, it involves changes in the nucleus of atoms, such as nuclear fission or fusion. Additionally, a nuclear reaction does not typically release energy through the rearrangement of electrons in an atom's outer shell like a chemical reaction does.
The main difference between a chemical reaction and a nuclear reaction is the type of energy involved. Chemical reactions involve rearrangement of outer electrons between atoms, while nuclear reactions involve changes in the nuclei of atoms, resulting in the release of much greater amounts of energy. Additionally, nuclear reactions can result in the transformation of elements, while chemical reactions only involve changes in the way atoms are bonded.
Nuclear decay rates do not vary with the conditions of the change; they are constant for a given isotope. On the other hand, chemical reaction rates can vary with conditions such as temperature, pressure, and the presence of catalysts.
The number in a nuclear chemical symbol represents the charge of the particle is the atomic number or the number of protons in the nucleus.