EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Nuclear fusion uses lighter elements, such as hydrogen and helium, which are in general more fusible; while the heavier elements, such as uranium, thorium and plutonium, are more fissionable. The extreme astrophysical event of a supernova can produce enough energy to fuse nuclei into elements heavier than iron.

Detailed explanation-2: -The main fuels used in nuclear fusion are deuterium and tritium, both heavy isotopes of hydrogen. Deuterium constitutes a tiny fraction of natural hydrogen, only 0, 0153%, and can be extracted inexpensively from seawater. Tritium can be made from lithium, which is also abundant in nature.

Detailed explanation-3: -For most of their lives, stars fuse elemental hydrogen into helium in their cores. Two atoms of hydrogen are combined in a series of steps to create helium-4. These reactions account for 85% of the Sun’s energy. The remaining 15% comes from reactions that produce the elements beryllium and lithium.

Detailed explanation-4: -Hydrogen fusion (nuclear fusion of four protons to form a helium-4 nucleus) is the dominant process that generates energy in the cores of main-sequence stars. It is also called “hydrogen burning", which should not be confused with the chemical combustion of hydrogen in an oxidizing atmosphere.

Detailed explanation-5: -The center of a star is so hot and so dense that the immense pressure forces hydrogen atoms together. These atoms are forced together so strongly that they create new atoms entirely-helium atoms-and release a staggering amount of energy in the process. This energy is called fusion energy.