Nuclear Fusion

Nuclear Fusion

the energy producing process taking place in the core of the sun and stars

Core temp of sun

about 15 million Celsius

Hydrogen nuclei fuses to make

helium and energy

What does the energy do

sustain life on Earth

Light Nuclei

release energy when they fuse

Light Nuclei Ex

hydrogen and helium

Light Nuclei Product

weighs less than the parent

Heavy Nuclei

releases energy when they split (fission)

Heavy Nuclei Ex

uranium

More protons=

more repulsion

What reaction releases more energy?

fusion reactions

Deuterium

from water (.02% of all hydrogen or deuterium)

Tritium

from lithium

Lithium

a light metal common in earths crust

D+T=4He +n

1+1=2+0

Deuterium + Lithium>>>>

helium and energy

Fusion Cycle

has the fastest reaction rate and is of interest for energy production

Tritium Production

5Li+n>4He+T (3+0>2+1)

Another Tririum Production Ex

7Li+n>4He+T+n

Plasma

an ionized gas;mixture of positive and negative electrons with overall charge neutrality

What state of matter is plasma?

the 4th state of matter

Plasma conducts what

electricity and heat

What temp creates plasma

over 100,000 degrees

Hydrogen fuses to form what

helium and 2 positrons + energy

Equation (Hydrogen fuses to form what)

4 1/1 H>4/2 He +2i +energy

What do you also get when hydrogen fuses

two neutrinos (waves that have no charge)

What happens when further fusion occurs

the making of heavier elements

Things lighter than iron can do what

form in the sun

4/2 He+4/2He makes

8/4 Be+energy

The top number is the

mass number

The bottom number is the

atomic number

8/4 Be+4/2He>

12/6 C+energy

Once Fe is reached..

no more fusion can occur in stars about 5-10 times the size of our sun

What happens to the iron?

it goes to the center (sinks because its most dense)

Expansion of the sun=

a red giant

Bigger stars do what

implode then explode,creating red supernovae and sending the larger molecules across the universe

How are other solar systems made

by gravity pulling the larger molecules together

Where does gold in crust come from

meteoroids and asteroids