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Fusion Research Paper

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Fusion

is the process of combining the nuclei of smaller atoms(less protons & neutrons and hence, a smaller atomic number) to create a larger atom. In many stars, the process starts with hydrogen (H) atoms combining to form helium atoms (He) then combining again to form Beryllium (Be) atoms and so on... The process stops when all the atoms are converted to Iron (Fe) and the star is thus dead. The reason for this is that once the atoms reach Iron and higher, the energy required to fuse the atoms becomes greater than the energy released by the atoms.

Fusion occurs naturally in environments where a sufficiently large amount of matter is collapsed under gravitational pressure that atoms are stripped of their electrons and nuclei have a sufficiently low mean free path (i.e. their density is fairly high). The aggregate of matter forming such an object is then usually referred to as a star.

Fission …show more content…

A nucleus may split in many different ways, in fact it is very rare for an even split to occur, one "half" being larger than the other in most cases. the mechanism maybe something like this an unstable (large Neutron rich isotope) is held together by the strong nuclear force because it is unstable it distorts allowing the coulomb repulsion between the positive protons to overcome the strong nuclear attraction and separate them this forms two highly energetic halves. these may increase their stability by emitting neutrons, these are known as prompt neutrons. Other neutrons maybe emitted later these are known as not surprisingly delayed neutrons. There are two types of fission, the first is spontaneous (this happens without first absorbing a neutron) and more common neutron induced fission which is as its name

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