A general impression exists that mass - energy interconversion takes placeonly in nuclear reaction and never in chemical reaction. This is strictly speaking, incorrect. Explain.
- Einstein's mass-energy relation: E = m c2
- The Einstein mass energy relation holds good not only for nuclear reactions, but also for chemical reactions.
- In any chemical reaction, the total mass of products is slightly smaller than the total mass of reactants.
- In general, this small change in mass is negligible and not considered under macroscopic point of view.
- But, in microscopic point of view, this small change in mass is also considerable, which produces an equivalent of energy as per Einstein's mass-energy relation. Example: Burning of coal