Proton Proton Annihilation: The Energy Behind Fusion

[karoly kehrer]

How much force (<10kN) is needed to compress two protons into each other? When it happens, when they are annihilated, the energy of the released gamma rays E=Mp *c^2 ? or some are carried away by short-lived byproducts?

Regards Karoly

 

[Orodruin]

Two protons cannot annihilate, that would violate baryon number conservation.

 

[mathman]

How much force (<10kN) is needed to compress two protons into each other? When it happens, when they are annihilated, the energy of the released gamma rays E=Mp *c^2 ? or some are carried away by short-lived byproducts?

Regards Karoly

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton–proton_chain_reaction

Above will help.

 

[sophiecentaur]

It's a matter of Energy rather than Force in discussions about this sort of collision / fusion. This link is short and says it in a nutshell. It was originally thought that protpn proton fusion would need too high a temperature (i.e. high enough energies) for it to happen in a normal Star. There has to be a tunnelling effect for it to happen and to form deuterium (along with other products). It is a very rare occurrence, which is why man-made fusion reactors use 'ready made' deuterium and tritium, which fuse more readily.