How is Catalysis Different in Chemical Reactions and Nuclear Fission?
While both processes involve the acceleration or control of reactions, the mechanisms and energy scales are vastly different. Chemical catalysts typically lower the activation energy needed for a reaction, allowing it to proceed more quickly at a given temperature. In contrast, nuclear fission involves the absorption and emission of neutrons, with energy changes on the order of millions of electron volts (MeV), compared to the electron volts (eV) typically involved in chemical reactions.
