Compare Nuclear and Chemical Energy Practice Test

The student is right: chemical reactions release more energy per atom, but nuclear reactions release more only because they are faster.

The campfire’s total energy can be large because it involves huge numbers of atoms, but nuclear reactions release far more energy per atom (millions of times more).

Chemical reactions release more energy per atom because chemical bonds are held by the strong nuclear force.

Nuclear reactions release less energy per atom, but they seem powerful because nuclear fuel is denser (more mass per volume).