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It takes substantial energy - but it does happen, it's just difficult to achieve on earth.
However, the process of proton-proton fusion is one of the key reactions that takes place in the sun. 2 Hydrogen nuclei (protons) fuse to produce a deuterium nucleus (1 proton, 1 neutron) and a positron (positive electron). Subsequently, the deuterium nuclei can fuse with protons to form helium.
The electrostatic force provides substantial repulsion, hence the need for very high temperatures (about 15 million K). It is only at high temperatures that the KE of the protons is sufficient to overcome the electrostatic repulsion.
However, once you overcome electrostatics then the strong force will bind the 2 nucleons together - and produce a new nucleus. In the case of deuterium, and helium-3 and helium-4 the nuclei are stable. Tritium can also be produced, this is unstable and decays into helium-3.
There is a final catch - in that the temperatures of the sun aren't quite high enough to overcome the electrostatic repulsion between protons, so how can the reaction take place.
The solution is 'quantum tunneling' - A simple explanation: according to classical physics, if a particle doesn't has less energy than a barrier then the barrier acts like a brick wall - the particle can't cross it. In quantum mechanics, things are probability based - it's possible, for a particle to cross any barrier - the height of the barrier and the energy of the particle determine the probability that particle can cross. Occasionally, this means a particle can cross a barrier that is higher than its energy level - the particle appears to 'tunnel' through the barrier, instead of going over it. x TPS
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoIf we are talking about fusion in the sun, it starts with protons (hydrogen nuclei), effectively two protons become neutrons, and the helium nucleus resulting is two protons plus two neutrons.
In the case of man made fusion on Earth, the probable reaction is deuterium (one proton plus one neutron) fusing with tritium (one proton plus two neutrons), the result is helium as above, together with a spare neutron which is ejected. These will be absorbed in the shielding material surrounding the fusion chamber.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoThey react with each other, and depending on what elements they are coming from, that's how big or small the reaction is.
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What parts of an atom can change during a nuclear reaction that can't change in a chemical reaction?
the number of protons and neutrons
Protons and neutrons are found in this part of an atom?
Protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus of an atom. These subatomic particles "bond" together during fusion to create the nucleus.
What is given off during nuclear fusion?
helium and some neutrons
Do nucleons hold protons together in the nucleus?
Yes, the protons help hold an atomic nucleus together. Let's look at things and figure this one out. Protons are positively charged, as you know, and like charges repel. That's basic electrostatics. The Coulomb forces of the protons push them away from each other. Further, when protons are packed into an atomic nucleus, they're still pushing away from each other. Let's consider what happens when an atomic nucleus forms. The term nucleon is how we refer to protons and neutrons when they are used as building blocks of an atomic nucleus. And the nucleons all undergo what is called mass deficit when that atomic nucleus if forced together in nuclear fusion. All the nucleons lose some mass during the fusion process, and this mass is converted into nuclear binding energy. The nuclear binding energy is also called nuclear glue, or residual strong interaction (residual strong force). And it is this force that overcomes the repulsive force of the protons, and it keeps the nucleus together. It turns out that both the protons and neutrons are involved in the "magic" that holds the nucleus together, as we've seen. Certainly the protons cannot do it by themselves, and the neutrons are necessary. But the protons have to give up some mass as well so that residual strong force can appear and mediate the fusion process that holds the nucleus together. It's really that simple.
In the process of nuclear fusion four hydrogen nuclei fuse to form a nucleus of what?
A helium nucleus plus energy released. see the link below
What parts of an atom can change during a nuclear reaction that can't change in a chemical reaction?
the number of protons and neutrons
During the solar nuclear reaction four nuclei bond together.?
Yes, basically four protons become a nucleus with two protons and two neutrons. See the link below
What type of nucleus forms during a solar nuclear reaction by the fusion of four nuclei?
The helium nucleus is formed during the proton-proton reaction by the fusion of four protons. Two of the protons are converted to neutrons by the weak interaction.
Protons and neutrons are found in this part of an atom?
Protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus of an atom. These subatomic particles "bond" together during fusion to create the nucleus.
What is changed during nuclear change?
The make up of the nucleus concerned, ie the number of protons and/or neutrons. In the case of fission of for example U-235, two completely different fragments of the U nucleus are formed, with the same total number of protons (92) but fewer neutrons because some are emitted in the fission.
What is given off during nuclear fusion?
helium and some neutrons
The particle with two protons and two neutrons ejected during decay?
Alpha particle
What is a particle with two neutrons and two protons ejected during decay?
an alpha particle
What is the partical with two protons and two neutrons ejected during decay?
Alpha particle.
Do nucleons hold protons together in the nucleus?
Yes, the protons help hold an atomic nucleus together. Let's look at things and figure this one out. Protons are positively charged, as you know, and like charges repel. That's basic electrostatics. The Coulomb forces of the protons push them away from each other. Further, when protons are packed into an atomic nucleus, they're still pushing away from each other. Let's consider what happens when an atomic nucleus forms. The term nucleon is how we refer to protons and neutrons when they are used as building blocks of an atomic nucleus. And the nucleons all undergo what is called mass deficit when that atomic nucleus if forced together in nuclear fusion. All the nucleons lose some mass during the fusion process, and this mass is converted into nuclear binding energy. The nuclear binding energy is also called nuclear glue, or residual strong interaction (residual strong force). And it is this force that overcomes the repulsive force of the protons, and it keeps the nucleus together. It turns out that both the protons and neutrons are involved in the "magic" that holds the nucleus together, as we've seen. Certainly the protons cannot do it by themselves, and the neutrons are necessary. But the protons have to give up some mass as well so that residual strong force can appear and mediate the fusion process that holds the nucleus together. It's really that simple.
In the process of nuclear fusion four hydrogen nuclei fuse to form a nucleus of what?
A helium nucleus plus energy released. see the link below
Was it 1 second after the big bang that protons and neutrons formed?
Yes, it was during the Hadron Epoch.
