Chapter 16, Problem 9A

Compare the relative amounts of mass lost in nuclear reactions and in chemical reactions.

To determine

To Compare: The relative amount of mass lost in nuclear reactions with that in chemical reactions.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

The amount of energy E is directly related to mass m as per the Einstein's Mass energy equation. Energy and mass are same. As mass of an object decreases it emits the energy equal to loss of mass.

For all chemical reactions that emits energy has decrease in mass. The mass loss in chemical reaction is one part per billion.

In nuclear reaction the decrease in rest mass is more than in chemical reaction. The mass loss in nuclear reaction is one part in thousand.

Conclusion:

The mass loss in nuclear reaction is more than in chemical reaction.