1. Fusion The reason we have life on Earth

2. Expectation #8: Definition A nuclear reaction in which smaller atomic nuclei collide at high speed to make a larger nuclei, releasing LOTS of energy.

3. Requirements for fusion Insanely large temperatures. Insanely large pressure. Thus the only place fusion naturally occurs is in stars.

4. What happens in fusion? In a nutshell, smaller nuclei combine to make a larger nucleus & A LOT of energy is released. The mass of the new, larger nucleus is less than the sum of the nuclei that made it. ( aka mass defect). This difference in mass is changed into energy through E=mc 2.

5. How do we get neutrons? When an electron is slammed into a proton they turn into a neutron (this is the reverse of beta decay). Two of the protons combine with an electron to make 2 neutrons. Proton (1&2) combine with neutron (3&4) to make a helium atom. The electrons should be drawn much smaller than the other 2.