1. Nuclear Fusion vs. Nuclear Fission

2. 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

4. 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

5. 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)

6. Fusion
Process = lighter atoms (i.e. hydrogen) combine to form heavier atoms (i.e. helium, carbon, etc.)
Energy process of the sun and stars

7. 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

8. 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

9. ET and Exam Review:

10. The process of the production of lighter nuclei from heavier nuclei is called
mass energy.
b. magneticism.
c. fusion.
d. fission.

11. Fusion occurs when nuclei
split.
mutate.
c. combine.
d. gain energy.

12. 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.

13. 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