Nuclear fusion Flashcards
1
Q
What is nuclear fusion
A
- The process by which two lighter nuclei fuse together to form one heavier nuclei
2
Q
What are some current applications of nuclear fusion
A
- Nuclear fusion is what powers stars (hydrogen nuclei fused into a helium nuclei)
- How all elements heavier than hydrogen were made
3
Q
How does nuclear fusion release energy
A
- Nuclear fusion releases tons of energy (more than fission)
- Some of the starting mass is converted to energy
- The heavier nuclei will be slightly lighter than the sum of the two starting nuclei
4
Q
What are the conditions for nuclear fusion and why
A
- Only occurs at very high pressures and temperature (10,000,000 C)
- This is because a lot of energy is required to overvome the strong repulsion of positively charged nuclei
- Therefore, we can’t currently fo it on earth
5
Q
What are some pros of nuclear fusion
A
- No radioactive waste
- Easy to obtain fuel (hydrogen)
6
Q
What type of energy does nuclear fusion release
A
- Releases energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation