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canopus
Why do we need much more energy for fusion than fission?
PS: I apologize for my bad English,
PS: I apologize for my bad English,
canopus said:Thanks for the details!
The main reason is that fusion involves combining two atoms to form a heavier atom, while fission involves splitting a heavier atom into two lighter atoms. In order for fusion to occur, the nuclei of the atoms must overcome the strong repulsive forces between them. This requires a significant amount of energy, whereas in fission, the nuclei are already unstable and splitting them releases energy.
The amount of energy needed for fusion is significantly greater than that needed for fission. In fact, fusion reactions require millions of times more energy than fission reactions. For example, the fusion reaction that powers the sun requires temperatures of millions of degrees and pressures millions of times greater than those needed for fission reactions in nuclear power plants.
Currently, fusion reactions cannot be controlled in the same way as fission reactions. Fission reactions can be controlled by moderating the speed of the neutrons released, while fusion reactions require extremely high temperatures and pressures to overcome the repulsive forces between nuclei. However, scientists are working on ways to control fusion reactions for potential use in energy production.
Fusion reactions use hydrogen isotopes, which are abundant in seawater and can be extracted in unlimited quantities. This makes fusion a potentially sustainable source of energy, unlike fission reactions which rely on finite resources such as uranium. Fusion reactions also produce less radioactive waste compared to fission reactions.
The main challenges in achieving fusion energy are creating the extreme conditions of temperature and pressure needed for fusion reactions to occur and sustaining those conditions for a long enough period of time to produce a net energy gain. Additionally, controlling and harnessing the energy released from fusion reactions is also a major challenge. Scientists are actively researching and developing new technologies to overcome these challenges and make fusion energy a viable source of clean and sustainable energy.