Nuclear fusion - Definition of nuclear fusion
What is nuclear fusion
Nuclear fusion is the chemical process whereby two or more atomic nuclei combine, merge or fuse into one new nucleus releasing large amounts of energy during the fusion process.
In line with the above definition of nuclear fusion, during this process the new atomic nucleus resulting from the merger between two or more cores has a mass slightly less than the separate addition of the masses of the original nuclei, such mass loss is transformed and released as energy according to Einstein's famous equation E = mc2 or what is the same, energy equals mass multiplied by the square of the speed of light, considering that the speed of light is about 300,000,000 m / s using this equation we conclude that a single gram of matter is equivalent to the same energy from burning about 2.4 million litres of gasoline.
Stars like our sun are the natural fusion reactors par excellence, as a result of the gravitational action and high temperatures reached in the stellar core, hydrogen atoms collide vigorously core each other coming to merge to form new atoms of helium and releasing energy in form of photons, as the star ages core temperature can rise enough to generate new fusion reactions with heavier elements originating new elements like carbon, oxygen and iron. Thanks to these processes of stellar fusion nature makes the basic chemical elements for the development of life.
In order to occur the fusion it is necessary that two atomic nuclei approximate distance of 2x10-15 meters or what is the same 0.0000000000000002 meters definitely an extremely small distance, this distance of the two atomic nuclei have overcome electrical repulsion forces reached a distance that the strong force exerted its presence by the 2 core fuse into one new kernel. In order to overcome the electrical repulsion forces resulting from the repulsion of the two positive charges of the two cores is necessary a collision at high speed, in the stars this speed is achieved by high temperature in which is the stellar core, remember that a higher temperature more fast.
Nuclear fusion as a medium of clean and renewable energy.
Nuclear fusion is the opposite process of nuclear fission currently used in nuclear plants, in the fission process atomic nuclei is divided into two or more new cores, while the fusion merge or fused two nuclei to make a new atomic nucleus, in both processes nuclear reactions are accompanied by the release of energy which is used to generate other types of energy such as electricity. In the case of fusion the amount of energy released during the process is about 5 times the energy exuded during nuclear fission, also nuclear fusion itself does not produce radioactive waste as in the case of nuclear fission, these two issues or advantages make nuclear fusion the ideal process for generating renewable, clean and environmentally friendly energy process.
The ITER project has international economic funds as well as the effort and dedication of thousands of scientists and engineers around the world to develop a controlled process in order to obtain energy by nuclear fusion, with a budget of € 14,000 million the first nuclear fusion reactor being built in the French town of Cadarache, the success of this global project will enable humanity to move towards a clean and sustainable energy model, which will contribute to reduce the burning of fossil fuels which emit greenhouse gases responsible for climate change that we are experiencing.
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