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Fusion generally produces more energy per reaction than fission, but achieving and maintaining fusion is much more challenging.
In nuclear fusion, light atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing a significant amount of energy. This process powers the sun and other stars, where hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium under extreme temperatures and pressures. The energy released in fusion comes from the mass difference between the reactants and the products, as described by Einstein's equation, E=mc². For example, the fusion of deuterium and tritium (isotopes of hydrogen) releases about 17.6 MeV (million electron volts) of energy per reaction.
On the other hand, nuclear fission involves splitting a heavy atomic nucleus, such as uranium-235 or plutonium-239, into smaller nuclei, along with a few neutrons and a large amount of energy. Fission reactions typically release around 200 MeV of energy per reaction. While this is a substantial amount of energy, it is less than the energy released per unit mass in fusion reactions.
However, achieving the conditions necessary for fusion on Earth is extremely difficult. Fusion requires temperatures of millions of degrees Celsius to overcome the electrostatic repulsion between positively charged nuclei. This is why fusion reactors, like tokamaks, are still in the experimental stage and not yet a practical source of energy. In contrast, fission reactors are well-established and currently provide a significant portion of the world's electricity.
In summary, while fusion has the potential to produce more energy per reaction than fission, the technological challenges associated with achieving and maintaining the conditions for fusion make it a more complex and currently less practical option for energy production.
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