Diffrence between Nuclear Reaction and chemical reaction:

At this level you must know that a nuclear reaction differs from a chemical reaction in following respects;

• In many cases a latest element or a new isotope of the same element is formed depending on the type of reaction.
• Energy involved in a nuclear reaction (called Q value) is much larger (by several orders of magnitude) compared to a chemical reaction where it is represented by ?H. Unit of Q is in eV whereas that of ?H is in Jules calories.
• A nuclear reaction is never affected through temperature, pressure, concentration, state of matter and other reaction conditions.
• Extra nuclear electrons do not participate within a nuclear reaction.
• If various isotopes are used as target material, different products are formed whereas in case of a chemical reaction, products remain the same.

• A nuclear reaction is frequently represented in a various manner (standard notation).
• Energy, number of protons, mass number, and momentum are conserved.
• The nuclear reaction is performed within a nuclear reactor or in an accelerator only while a chemical reaction is performed in a test tube or beaker or a round bottom flask in a chemical laboratory.
• Within case of a chemical reaction, total number of atoms of each element on both sides is conserved. However, in a nuclear reaction, it is the total number of nucleons i.e. protons and neutrons on both sides is conserved.
• Basically a chemical reaction takes place on molecular basis whereas a nuclear reaction takes place on atomic basis.