All About Nuclear Fusion

Nuclear fusion is the binding process that occurs when the different light nuclei in numbers collide to create a heavier nucleus. Nuclear fusion is a process that occurs in the elements with low atomic number atoms and the matter found is changed, as the mass of participating nuclei is used to produce energy for example hydrogen. Nuclear fusion and nuclear fission reactions are opposite to each other, processing the dissipation of the heavy elements into the light elements that are formed. Both of the reactions are energy producers, generating enormous amounts of energy that can be used in energy-dependent processes.

Fusion And Its Types

The fusion reactions can be classified into two types.

• Preserving: The type of reaction in which the quantity of protons and the quantity of neutrons is preserved.
• Converting: The type of reaction in which protons and neutrons are converted and enormous energy is released.

Process of Nuclear Fusion

The second type of nuclear fusion is one of the prominent examples of the energy radiating process with some evident examples in the form of stars, the self light emitting and heat radiating celestial bodies. The process of fusion can be explained through an example.

Let us consider the example of deuterium and tritium.

D + T → He + n

Where,

D = Deuterium 

T = Tritium 

He = Helium

n = Free neutron.

The reaction of the components of deuterium and tritium produces an outcome, a helium atom and a neutron (which is free in nature and possesses kinetic energy). The residual mass is converted into kinetic energy as the two heavy isotopes are blended into an atom of helium and a free neutron. The reaction depends on the factor of distance as the two entities need to be close enough to initiate a reaction and binding of the nucleus occurs.

Nuclear Fusion in Sun

Nuclear fusion is the reason that helps in keeping every star, such as the sun, alive. They generate a tremendous quantity of energy in form of heat and light as a result of the reaction. The particular reaction takes place, where the pressure is extremely high, likely to be found in the core of the star. The temperature of the core of the sun is millions of degrees celsius which is the reason for the emission of enormous heat and light, the reaction between hydrogen, deuterium and tritium forming helium.

Note: Every second, the sun converts about 600 million tonnes of hydrogen into helium. Nuclear fusion can be seen in the reactions that occur in the sun.

What Differentiates Nuclear Fission from Nuclear Fusion?

Nuclear Fusion- An Important Need

The study of nuclear fusion claims to get an enormous supply of energy which will be enough to surplus the energy-deprived sectors. With the introduction to applications of nuclear fusion in the industrial zone and recreation on a large scale on earth, it could deliver almost endless clean, safe and economical energy to meet global needs. The scale of the energy can nearly be around four million times higher if compared to any fossil fuel like coal or petroleum present on earth and about four times the energy produced during nuclear fission reactors.

The application of nuclear fusion can be done on various platforms.

• Reducing air pollution: As the reaction is independent of any combustion so no fossils are burned causing air pollution. Hence, it claims to be a clean source of energy.
• The fact is nuclear fusion forms atoms into one from several thus creating less or no waste when compared with nuclear fission reactor waste making the disposal process easy. Furthermore, unlike in fission reactors, the wastes will be independent from weapons-state radioactive elements.

Conclusion

Nuclear fusion is one of the processes which hold the opposite nature as of nuclear fission, combining two or more numbers of atoms to form a heavy atom. The result of the reaction is the release of energy is enormous in the form of light and heat. The reaction is independent of human initiation but dependent on the factors like extreme temperature and pressure. The stars are the prominent examples of the same. The replication of the reaction on earth at the industrial scale can bring out the revolutionary change in fulfilling the requirement of power which is many times compared to existing nuclear fission reactors but will have other side effects of nuclear pollution and carbon emission on the environment.