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In the fundamental sense, energy is a property of matter, Einstein showed how mass and energy are related by the equation E = mc2. Nuclear energy arises because in fusion of light elements or in fission of heavy ones, mass is lost and energy released. The loss of mass is a function of the way the components (nucleons) of the nucleus stick together, this is called the nuclear binding energy.

As the universe developed after the big bang, stars formed from accumulated matter and fusion reactions started. The sun is one such star, and its energy reaching the earth made life start and eventually formed all the coal and gas and oil, which we can now exploit and obtain the locked up energy from. Formation of uranium which is another source of energy also followed from some sort of stellar event such as a supernova somewhere in the universe, billions of years ago.

So everyting starts from the basic laws of physics which determine how the components of the nucleus behave together.

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16y ago

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