Will the fusion reactor ITER decrease entropy?

In summary, a fusion reactor is a device that uses nuclear fusion to create energy. ITER, an experimental reactor, uses magnetic fields to confine and heat hydrogen plasma to extreme temperatures for fusion. Entropy, or disorder, is important to control in the fusion process. A successful ITER reactor could provide clean and unlimited energy, but there are challenges and obstacles such as cost, complexity, and controlling the plasma.
  • #1
g.lemaitre
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2
ITER is the fusion reactor in southern France that hopefully will come online in 2018.

According to wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITER

The ITER fusion reactor itself has been designed to produce 500 megawatts of output power for 50 megawatts of input power.

Does this mean that if the Universe contained only ITER, the people that made it, and the things necessary to build it that the net amount of entropy in the universe would decrease?
 
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  • #2
Of course not. Second law of thermodynamics.
 
  • #3
Fusing particles and heating the environment increases entropy a lot.
 

What is a fusion reactor?

A fusion reactor is a device that creates energy by combining atoms under extreme heat and pressure, similar to how the sun produces energy. This process is called nuclear fusion.

How does ITER work?

ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) uses magnetic fields to confine and heat hydrogen plasma to temperatures of over 150 million degrees Celsius. This allows the hydrogen atoms to fuse and release energy.

What is entropy and how does it relate to the ITER fusion reactor?

Entropy is a measure of disorder or randomness in a system. In terms of the ITER fusion reactor, the goal is to decrease entropy by creating a controlled and efficient fusion process that produces usable energy.

What are the potential benefits of a successful ITER fusion reactor?

A successful ITER fusion reactor could provide a nearly limitless source of clean energy, with no carbon emissions or radioactive waste. It could also decrease our dependence on fossil fuels and help combat climate change.

What are the challenges and obstacles facing the ITER fusion reactor project?

The main challenges facing the ITER fusion reactor project include the high cost and complexity of the technology, the difficulty of maintaining and controlling the extremely hot plasma, and the long timeline for development and implementation.

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