Nuclear Fusion vs. Nuclear Fission
Process = nucleus splits into 2 or more fragments and releases energy Fission Process = nucleus splits into 2 or more fragments and releases energy One split causes chain reaction Used by nuclear power plants
Fission Disadvantages Fission Advantages No smoke or gaseous pollutants (i.e. greenhouse gases) Lots more energy than coal or oil We can perform fission Fission Disadvantages Produces lots of radioactive waste (dangerous) Expensive and dangerous to operate (3 Mile Island, Chernobyl, Fukushima) Requires specially produced resources (plutonium and uranium) as fuel
Recent Technological Advances for Fission Experimenting with thorium instead of uranium Cheaper and more abundant Less radioactive waste Superior nuclear properties Not as easily turned into a nuclear weapon Present infrastructure doesn’t support it (this is a problem)
Fusion Process = lighter atoms (i.e. hydrogen) combine to form heavier atoms (i.e. helium, carbon, etc.) Energy process of the sun and stars
Fusion Advantages Fusion Disadvantages Produces very little pollution and waste Creates huge amounts of energy Huge amounts of hydrogen fuel available (Hydrogen-2 available from sea water) Fusion Disadvantages Haven’t been successful… yet Potentially dangerous to perform (needs tons of safety monitoring) Expensive $$$ Could require more energy than it produces
Recent Technological Advances for Fusion Have been trying to make fusion possible since the 1950s, many countries working together Jet: 1990s in UK, show that it is possible to fuse hydrogen and then release energy but takes more energy as input than output ITER: World’s largest nuclear fusion reactor currently being build in France, predicted to begin fusing by 2030. Trying to make self-sustaining burning plasma that would create “star-like” environment to cause controlled nuclear fusion Will use Super conductor magnets and remote handling
ET and Exam Review:
The process of the production of lighter nuclei from heavier nuclei is called mass energy. b. magneticism. c. fusion. d. fission.
Fusion occurs when nuclei split. mutate. c. combine. d. gain energy.
When a fusion reactor for safely generating energy is developed, the element that could meet Earth’s energy demands for millions of years is a. oxygen. b. hydrogen. c. nitrogen. d. lithium.
Which of the following is currently a viable option for energy generation here on earth? Nuclear Fusion Nuclear Fission Both A. and B. None of the above