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How do pressure and heat play a major role in the process of nuclear fusion?
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What is the major source of energy the sun now produces?
The major source of energy the sun produces is nuclear fusion at its core, where hydrogen atoms combine to form helium, releasing immense amounts of energy in the process. This process fuels the sun by converting mass into energy through Einstein's famous equation, E=mc^2.
What is the major source of energy the sun is now producing?
Nuclear fusion.
What is a major disadvantage of using nuclear fusion reactors?
Today these installations are not surely controlled.
What is the major problem with fusion reactions as an energy source?
Problem on nuclear fusion is upon confinement of reaction in earth atmosphere. Nuclear fusion required very high temperature to initiate the reaction. Sustaining reaction is not easy. It is likely the earliest nuclear fusion will be available commercially by 2050. It is a little far future for the current energy crisis would reach it peak around 2040.
What is the origin of nuclear energy?
Nuclear energy originates from the process of nuclear fission, where atoms are split to release a large amount of energy. This process was first discovered in the early 20th century and has since been harnessed for generating electricity in nuclear power plants.
Is the nuclear reaction that takes place in a nuclear electrical generating plant exothermic?
I would imagine it is since the goal of an electric plant is to give off energy, and exothermic reactions release entergy. Both fusion and fission, the two major nuclear reactions, are exothermic.
What describes a major role of gravity in star formation?
Gravity compresses gases at the center of a solar nebula until temperatures are high enough for nuclear fusion to occur
Is there any possibility of water being used as a fuel if yes how?
One of the big ideas being toyed with at the moment is nuclear fusion. Currently energy is produced in nuclear powerstations by a process called fission in which nucli are split. The problem with this is that all sorts of very dangerous toxic and radioactive substances are produced. Nuclear fission releases energy when the nuclei are heavier than iron. In nuclear fusion two nuclei are joined together to release energy, this works with nuclei lighter than iron. Hydrogen is the lightest of all nuclei and so has great potential for nuclear fusion. Water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom and there is lots of it. The hydrogen can be removed from the oxygen using a process called electrolysis where an electric current splits it up, the hydrogen could then be fused to produce energy for whatever you want to power and for the electrolysis. The major problem with nuclear fusion is that we can currently only get it to work at very high pressures/temperatures. This is because nuclei have a positive charge and so repell each other. To get them ot fuse you need to get them so close that the strong nuclear force takes over.
What are the fuel sources for the sun?
The sun produces heat and light by the nuclear fusion of atoms of hydrogen to create helium. The hydrogen it uses was created during the cooling of the universe after the Big Bang. hydrogen is the major "fuel" of the sun.
What are drawbacks of nuclear fusion?
It takes a huge amount of pressure and temperature to get started and maintain stably. Fusion experiments kept going so far are highly inefficient and take more energy to do than they produce.
What are the risks associated with the use of nuclear energy?
The major risk is the only bi products which are capable of radiating harmful radiations such as gamma rays and emitting alpha and beta particles. Otherwise it will be a great boon for the humanity to produce electrical power in a cheaper way. In case of nuclear fusion such a problem does not exist but the pity is that for initiation we need the nuclear fission to produce the high temperature needed for fusion reaction to get started.
What is the major disadvantage of using nuclear fusion?
We don't have nuclear fusion reactors. We have not been able to sustain a controlled fusion reaction for more than a brief moment in time, and of more than a small amount of power. Only the Sun and stars have controlled fusion reactions, and Hydrogen bombs have uncontrolled fusion reactions. The problem is in maintaining the extremely high temperature and pressure required to sustain a fusion reaction, while at the same time containing the plasma that results from it. It is so hot that no container will hold it. We can build magnetic "bottles" so to speak, but the enormous flux required to do that requires super magnets, and that requires super-conductors and super-cold temperatures. Placing a super-hot plasma flow within the boundaries of a super-cold magnet is just not something we have accomplished yet. We are working on it, but, barring any stupendous discovery, I think controlled fusion reactors are at least 50 or a 100 years away.
