Final answer:
The energy released per gram during the decay of a radioisotope is significantly more than that released per gram during a typical chemical reaction, by over 100,000 times, as exemplified by the decay of carbon-14.
Step-by-step explanation:
Compared to the amount of energy released per gram during a typical chemical reaction, the amount of energy released per gram during the decay of a radioisotope is more. When considering nuclear reactions such as the decay of a radioisotope, the energy released per atom is enormous. The energy released by the decay of carbon-14 (14C) is a good example. Despite being a relatively low-energy nuclear reaction, it still releases over 100,000 times more energy per gram than a typical chemical reaction.
Nuclear reactions, such as the decay of 14C, release energy in the range of millions of electron volts (MeV), which is approximately 106 times greater than the typical energies released in chemical reactions (which are in the kilojoule per mole range). This difference in energy release is due to nuclear reactions involving changes in the nucleus of the atom and the conversion of matter into energy, relying on the relationship as described by Albert Einstein's famous equation E = mc2. In essence, even a small change in mass due to nuclear reactions can lead to a huge amount of energy release.