What is Nuclear Fusion?
Nuclear fusion is the process by which multiple atoms having the same charge join together in order to form a heavier nucleus. In some cases, depending on the mass, energy can be released or absorbed during this process. Nuclear fusion is a very important energy source. Nuclear fusion is often confused with nuclear fission. However, the two, while having similar names and perhaps having similar results in some circumstances, are very different from each other. Nuclear fission is the process of splitting the nucleus of an atom, which normally has the effect of generating a large release of energy, such as is seen in nuclear bombs. Nuclear fission is also how most nuclear power plants generate energy. Nuclear fusion as a source of manmade energy is still largely in the developmental stage, though some fusion power plants are online. While some energy from nuclear fusion is manmade, most of the energy coming from nuclear fusion that humans and other life forms benefit from comes from the
Simply, fusion is when two elementary particles collide and combine or fuse to make — even temporarily — a new particle. In the graphic below, a form of the hydrogen nucleus — Tritium — collides with another form of the hydrogen nucleus — Deuterium — to form a new particle. (Deuterium and Tritium are isotopes of hydrogen — a form of water.) The fused particle is not stable, and quickly decays via the split decay mode into a neutron — moving very fast, i.e., “hot” — and a helium neucleus — also know as an “alpha” particle and energy.
The term nuclear fusion refers to the reaction in which two very light nuclei are bound to form a heavier, more stable nucleus with a large release of energy. In order for fusion to take place, the positively charged nuclei should approach each other by overcoming the electrostatic forces of repulsion.
