How is nuclear energy is generated during nuclear fusion?

Answer 1

Nuclear fusion involves the joining together of two atomic nuclei, fusing them into a single nucleus. When you join two nuclei together (usually light nuclei with only a few protons and/or neutrons), a tremendous amount of energy is released. Just as it takes a tremendous amount of energy to pull apart the pieces of a nucleus, when you put two pieces together, a lot of energy is released.

Fusion is often confused with nuclear fission, but they are very different. Fission involves the breaking apart of a single nucleus into two smaller nuclei.

Fusion is joining nuclei. Fission is breaking apart a nucleus.

A tremendous amount of energy is released upon joining two nuclei together (it is this reaction that is happening inside the sun). It also takes a huge amount of energy to get this reaction to occur. The only way we currently know how to start a nuclear fusion reaction efficiently is to use an atomic bomb to get it started! This is how much energy you need to start the reaction! There are several other ways that we know of to start fusion reactions, but they all require more energy input than you get as energy output.

There is a tremendous amount of research currently on so-called "cold fusion" or a way to do fusion without this huge amount of energy input. Currently all known methods involve putting in MORE energy than you get out! That's not a good design for a power plant, to say the least (nor is having atomic bombs going off inside to keep the reactors going!).

Answer 2

Nuclear fusion involves the joining together of two atomic nuclei, fusing them into a single nucleus. When you join two nuclei together (usually light nuclei with only a few protons and/or neutrons), a tremendous amount of energy is released. Just as it takes a tremendous amount of energy to pull apart the pieces of a nucleus, when you put two pieces together, a lot of energy is released. Fusion is often confused with nuclear fission, but they are very different. Fission involves the breaking apart of a single nucleus into two smaller nuclei. Fusion is joining nuclei. Fission is breaking apart a nucleus. A tremendous amount of energy is released upon joining two nuclei together (it is this reaction that is happening inside the sun). It also takes a huge amount of energy to get this reaction to occur. The only way we currently know how to start a nuclear fusion reaction efficiently is to use an atomic bomb to get it started! This is how much energy you need to start the reaction! There are several other ways that we know of to start fusion reactions, but they all require more energy input than you get as energy output. There is a tremendous amount of research currently on so-called "cold fusion" or a way to do fusion without this huge amount of energy input. Currently all known methods involve putting in MORE energy than you get out! That's not a good design for a power plant, to say the least (nor is having atomic bombs going off inside to keep the reactors going!). See the Web Links to the left of the page for more information.

Answer 3

The energy released is a portion of the binding energy of the nucleus.

The binding energy of a fissile nucleus is higher than the sum of the binding energies of the nuclei that it splits into. This difference is what is released in the fission process. Some of it appears as kinetic energy of the particles, and some of it is emitted as electromagnetic radiation (typically gamma waves).

How a nuclear generating station works requires a long enough answer to be worthy of a separate question (also, there are several different types, each of which is slightly different).

Answer 4

When the fusion reaction (D + T) occurs energy is released mainly in neutrons. Somehow these neutrons must be absorbed into some material which would then get hot and be able to do work. This engineering aspect has not been solved to my knowledge.

Answer 5

when the nuclear bumps around

What does that mean!?

Answer 6

Nuclear fusion release an enormous amount of energy; but this energy must be transferred to a fluid and so far beyond what can not be done for the time being.

Answer 7

Nuclear fusion is an exothermic reaction.

Answer 8

that comes from the energy.