Untitled Flashcards Set
Nuclear Fission & Fusion - Notes
Nuclear Fusion Uses
Fusion reactors
Produces 3 times more energy than fission
Difficult to control
Requires lots of energy input
Produces high energy output
Used in hydrogen bombs (bigger bombs)
Nuclear Fusion Equation
Hydrogen isotopes (e.g., deuterium and tritium) can be fused to form helium, releasing energy:
2H+3H→4He+1n+Energy^2H + ^3H → ^4He + ^1n + \text{Energy}2H+3H→4He+1n+Energy
Fission vs. Fusion - Similarities & Differences
Similarities
Both are nuclear reactions where the nucleus is changed or broken.
Both produce tremendous amounts of energy compared to chemical reactions.
Releases stability (energy is released in the process).
Differences
Feature | Fission (Splitting atomic nuclei) | Fusion (Combining atomic nuclei) |
|---|---|---|
Energy Output | Produces large amounts of energy | Produces 3× more energy than fission |
Efficiency | 8000× more efficient than fossil fuels | More efficient & cleaner than fission |
Environmental Impact | No greenhouse gases | Little waste, cleaner |
Resource Availability | Uses rare elements (Uranium or Plutonium isotopes) | Uses abundant hydrogen isotopes |
Process | Larger atoms split into smaller ones | Smaller atoms fuse into a larger one |
Control & Controversy | Radioactive waste is a major issue | Not controversial, but requires extremely high temperatures |
Nuclear Fusion Uses
Fusion reactors
Produces 3 times more energy than fission
Difficult to control
Requires lots of energy input
Produces high energy output
Used in hydrogen bombs (bigger bombs)
Nuclear Fusion Equation
Hydrogen isotopes (e.g., deuterium and tritium) can be fused to form helium, releasing energy:
2H+3H→4He+1n+Energy^2H + ^3H → ^4He + ^1n + \text{Energy}2H+3H→4He+1n+Energy
Fission vs. Fusion - Similarities & Differences
Similarities
Both are nuclear reactions where the nucleus is changed or broken.
Both produce tremendous amounts of energy compared to chemical reactions.
Releases stability (energy is released in the process).
Differences
Feature | Fission (Splitting atomic nuclei) | Fusion (Combining atomic nuclei) |
|---|---|---|
Energy Output | Produces large amounts of energy | Produces 3× more energy than fission |
Efficiency | 8000× more efficient than fossil fuels | More efficient & cleaner than fission |
Environmental Impact | No greenhouse gases | Little waste, cleaner |
Resource Availability | Uses rare elements (Uranium or Plutonium isotopes) | Uses abundant hydrogen isotopes |
Process | Larger atoms split into smaller ones | Smaller atoms fuse into a larger one |
Control & Controversy | Radioactive waste is a major issue | Not controversial, but requires extremely high temperatures |