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Earth and Space Science
Nuclear Fusion
The Sun is made of atoms! 94% hydrogen and 6% helium to be exact. Atoms are made of an even smaller entity called, subatomic particles. And every subatomic particle has its own charge. Protons have a positive charge, neutrons are neutral, or have no charge, and electrons have a negative charge. The atoms in a star such as our sun undergo a process called nuclear fusion, not to be mistaken with nuclear fission. Nuclear Fusion occurs when two or more atoms are joined together to make a larger atom. Stars get their power this way. Deep inside a star, hydrogen atoms are constantly being converted by fusion into helium atoms. It's this process that generates the light and heat energy given off by the stars including the Sun. Scientists have not figured out how to control fusion to create usable energy. If they could it would be great news as fusion produces less radioactive material and would give us a virtually unlimited supply of energy. A star loses mass is through nuclear fusion. So the Sun loses about 5.5 million tons of mass every second, or about 174 trillion tons of mass every year. That’s a lot of mass, but compared to the total mass of the Sun it’s negligible (unimportant).
Except when there are very high temperatures and very strong gravitational force. Then nuclear fusion begins when the star fuses hydrogen into helium in its core. This is how stars get their energy.
Step 1:
As protons fuse one of the protons become a neutron. Heat is necessary for atoms to fuse.
This atom is know called deuterium. During the process of fusion energy is released in the form of two photons (gamma-rays). Which also cause the star to lose mass.
Step 2:
Deuterium then fuses with another proton.
This atom is now called tritium. This fusion again results in another two photons (gamma-rays) being created.
Step 3:
Two tritium atoms then fuse and the atom loses two protons.
This atom now has two neutrons and two protons. This is more commonly known as helium.
SO to recap...
Nuclear fusion converted the nucleus of four hydrogen atoms (protons) into one helium atom with the release of several photons.
SO to recap...
Nuclear fusion converted the nucleus of four hydrogen atoms (protons) into one helium atom with the release of several photons.