Nuclear Fusion is an Energy Source
By: Marissa Speary Date: 05/06/16
Nuclear Fusion is the new BIG enery source!!
I have discovered that nuclear fusion is an energy source. Nuclear fusion is what powers the sun and the stars. It is the energy that makes life on earth possible. The reason it's called fusion is because the energy is produced by fusing together light atoms, such as hydrogen, at the extremely high pressures and temperatures which exist at the center of the sun. The two major isotopes that are used is H-2 (deuterium) and H-3 (tritium). Plasma or very high temperatures are used to create this fuse to produce nuclear fusion.
Nuclear Fusion vs Nuclear Fission
Nuclear fusion and nuclear fission both produce and release large amounts of energy. The difference between the two is that nuclear fusion is when you combine two atoms while nuclear fission is when you split an atom into two. For nuclear fusion to occur, two or more nuclei should be near each other in order to create energy for both to stick together. While nuclear fission needs to have a critical mass and a very slow neutron for the splitting to occur. Nuclear fission also produces radioactive substances that remain active for hundreds of years.
The first time using Nuclear Fusion
The first Nuclear fusion product was made for military use (the Hydrogen Bomb). The hydrogen bomb is estimated to be 1,000 times more powerful than a regular atomic bomb.
Safty Concerns and Percautions
A couple things you should be aware of before using nuclear fusion is that there could be possible fuel meltdowns, there could be radioactive waste, and the release of extra tritium into the atmosphere.
Economic Impacts
Nuclear Fusion energy will provide many economic impacts in the world such as:
- Nuclear energy will provide clean energy therefore there will be no greenhouse gases
- Limitless fuel available
- Easier to control than nuclear fission
- Little or no nuclear waste
- Very low fuel costs