Fusion? (latent heat of fusion)

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Fusion refers to the process of changing a substance from solid to liquid state, known as latent heat of fusion, which involves the absorption of energy. There is confusion around the term "fusion," as it can also refer to chemical fusion, where metals are combined through heating, and nuclear fusion, which is a different process entirely. The discussion clarifies that latent heat of fusion does not involve the actual fusion of nuclei or atoms, but rather a change in the arrangement of molecules. When a substance melts, it absorbs energy, while freezing releases energy. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for grasping the concept of fusion in the context of heat.
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Fusion?? (latent heat of fusion)

What is fusion?
What I know that is fusion is the process of joining of nuclei by melting.Thus , fusion is a melting process.
Can i get some more information in easy language.
I have read some-were "fusion is a freezing process" is this statement is true by any point of view.
 
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I started to write an an answer until I realize that I don't know what kind of "fusion" you mean here! Yes, "chemical fusion", fusing two metals such as silver and gold, is just a matter of heating the metals enough that the chemical bonds, due to the outer electron shells, holding the metal crystals together break and the atoms from the two different metals can mix- although there will not be a true chemical bond between the atoms of the different metals.

Nuclear fusion is a completely different thing!
 


HallsofIvy said:
I started to write an an answer until I realize that I don't know what kind of "fusion" you mean here! Yes, "chemical fusion", fusing two metals such as silver and gold, is just a matter of heating the metals enough that the chemical bonds, due to the outer electron shells, holding the metal crystals together break and the atoms from the two different metals can mix- although there will not be a true chemical bond between the atoms of the different metals.

Nuclear fusion is a completely different thing!

This fusion of which i am talking about is of Heat chapter.
 


DhruvKumar said:
What is fusion?
What I know that is fusion is the process of joining of nuclei by melting.Thus , fusion is a melting process.
Can i get some more information in easy language.
I have read some-were "fusion is a freezing process" is this statement is true by any point of view.


DhruvKumar said:
This fusion of which i am talking about is of Heat chapter.

Can you post some links to what you are asking about? It is still not clear. Is there a Wikipedia.org page that discusses it?

Or maybe a page at Hyperphysics? http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hphys.html

.
 
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He's talking about latent heat of fusion. It has nothing to do with nuclear fusion.

When an object goes from liquid to solid state, it "fuses", and releases the fusion energy. In order to melt an object, you have to supply fusion energy. In this process, neither nuclei nor atoms really fuse. The only thing that changes is the state of matter. You can think of it as change of arrangement of atoms or molecules between somewhat sparse and random (liquid) and tight and ordered (solid). There are other, more complex transitions that are possible, but these are the basics.
 


Thanks K^2. I added your clarification to the thread title.
 
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