When a nucleon is added to a nucleus, the nuclear force attracts it to other nucleons, but primarily to its immediate neighbors due to the short range of the force. Therefore, the main technical difficulty for fusion is getting the nuclei close enough to fuse. At nucleus radii distances, the attractive nuclear force is stronger than the repulsive electrostatic force. If two nuclei can be brought close enough together, however, the electrostatic repulsion can be overcome by the attractive nuclear force, which is stronger at close distances. At large distances, two nuclei repel one another because of the repulsive electrostatic force between their positively charged protons. RequirementsĪ substantial energy barrier of electrostatic forces must be overcome before fusion can occur. For example, in the fusion of two hydrogen nuclei to form helium, seven-tenths of one percent of the mass is carried away from the system in the form of kinetic energy or other forms of energy, like electromagnetic radiation. The fusion of lighter elements in stars releases energy, as well as the mass that always accompanies it. Examples of Fusionįusion reactions of light elements power the stars and produce virtually all elements in a process called nucleosynthesis. Therefore, energy is no longer released when such nuclei are made by fusion instead, energy is absorbed. For larger nuclei, no energy is released, since the nuclear force is short-range and cannot continue to act across an even larger atomic nuclei. The nuclear force is stronger than the Coulomb force for atomic nuclei smaller than iron, so building up these nuclei from lighter nuclei by fusion releases the extra energy from the net attraction of these particles. The same force also pulls the nucleons, or neutrons and protons, together. The effect of nuclear force is not observed outside the nucleus, hence the force has a strong dependence on distance it a short-range force. This force, called the strong nuclear force, overcomes electric repulsion in a very close range. The protons are positively charged and repel each other, but they nonetheless stick together, demonstrating the existence of another force referred to as nuclear attraction. The origin of the energy released in fusion of light elements is due to an interplay of two opposing forces: the nuclear force that draws together protons and neutrons, and the Coulomb force that causes protons to repel each other. Fusion is the process that powers active stars, releasing large quantities of energy. During this process, matter is not conserved because some of the mass of the fusing nuclei is converted to energy, which is released. Nuclear fusion is the process by which two or more atomic nuclei join together, or “fuse,” to form a single heavier nucleus. nuclear fusion: A reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei collide at very high speed and join to form a new type of atomic nucleus.nuclear force: The force that acts between nucleons and binds protons and neutrons into atomic nuclei the residual strong force.nucleosynthesis: Any of several processes that lead to the synthesis of heavier atomic nuclei.nucleon: One of the subatomic particles of the atomic nucleus, i.e.nuclear binding energy: The energy required to split a nucleus of an atom into its component parts.A substantial energy barrier of electrostatic forces must be overcome before fusion can occur. Fusion reactions of light elements power the stars and produce virtually all elements in a process called nucleosynthesis.The origin of the energy released in fusion of light elements is due to an interplay of two opposing forces: the nuclear force that draws together protons and neutrons, and the Coulomb force that causes protons to repel each other.
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