Nuclear Fusion


Definition: a thermonuclear reaction in which nuclei of light atoms join to form nuclei of heavier atoms, as the combination of deuterium atoms to form helium atoms.

The process of nuclear fusion is followed by the release/absorption of energy which then allows the matter to enter into a plasma state. Plasma is the state of matter needed. Plasma is a gas but is distinct from the solid, liquid, and gas states of matter. It has its own properties that gases to do not have in terms of its reaction to the influence of a magnetic field. Bringing the particles together is a difficult task because of the energy barrier created by the electrostatic forces between the two positively charge nuclei. The energy that is released in nuclear fusion reactions is immense because of the huge amount of energy that is required to hold the ions together.

Nuclear fusion occurs naturally in stars and is in the process of being artificially created and controlled. Because of the immense power that is created by the nuclear fusion process, there is much interest is utilixing the energy created. To date, however, the only fusion reactions successfully (an arbitrary statement) used was in the hydrogen bombs.


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