Difference Between Radioactive Equilibrium and Chemical Equilibrium
| Radioactive Equilibrium | Chemical Equilibrium |
|---|---|
| In the radioactive disintegration series when the rate of formation of a radio element becomes equal to its rate of decay, radioactive equilibrium is established. | In a chemical reaction at a definite temperature and pressure when the rate of forward reaction becomes equal to the rate of backward reaction chemical equilibrium is established. |
| Radioactive changes are irreversible and so radioactive equilibrium is not true equilibrium, it actually represents a steady state. | Chemical changes are reversible and so chemical equilibrium represents true equilibrium. |
| Radioactive equilibrium is established in a disintegration series containing at least two steps | Chemical equilibrium is established after a certain time of its start. |
| Radioactive changes are a nuclear phenomenon. So this equilibrium is independent of temperature, pressure and state of the radio elements. | Chemical changes are atomic or molecular phenomena and so chemical equilibrium is influenced by temperature, pressure etc. |
