i'm also a bit confused about fission vs fusion. and why does one word have 2 s's and the other 1 but they sound the same. just ignore that question for now.
talk to me about basic forms of these reactions
2007-01-15 15:34:14 · 5 answers · asked by smokesha 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
fission is the splitting apart of atoms into smaller atoms, and releases energy.
fusion is the combination of atoms into bigger atoms, not into compounds or molecules. like in our sun, it's fusing hydrogen into helium. helium is an element, not a compound like H2O, hydrogen tied to oxygen. this also like fission releases energy. Both take energy to start the chain reaction, but the energy released from these processes is enough to make the next process happen.
a nuclear reactor is a place where this chain reaction can take place without harming anyone. most, if not all of the nuclear reactors we use are for fission.
2007-01-15 17:55:47 · answer #1 · answered by JizZ E. Jizzy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Fission, like an atom bomb, is the splitting of atoms, the splitting on one atom releases enough energy to split the next, and then some, and so on. Fusion is when atoms are combined, thing of rolling a big boulder up the side of a volcano, when you reach the rim and drop it in, it can fall much further than the height of the volcano from the surounding plane, that is Fusion, which we have not yet figured out how to use for bulk power generation. If your interested in this topic, then i stronly suggest reading 'The Search for Schrodingers Cat', by John Gribbin.
2007-01-15 23:44:37 · answer #2 · answered by SnowXNinja 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Fission - split up atoms and release energy.
Fusion - combine atoms and release energy. (think fuse)
Fission is used in our nuclear reactors. We split up plutonium or uranium into smaller elements, I belive Uranium goes into Strontium and Iridium. A nuclear reactor allows fission to go on. When the Uranium decays, it releases heat. This heats up water into steam, which is used to spin a turbine, generating electricity.
Nuclear fusion is the process that powers our sun. There are a couple of different pathways, but the general idea is that four Hydrogen atoms combine into one Helium atom in the Sun.
2007-01-15 23:40:42 · answer #3 · answered by John T 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
get energy from fusion/fission.......use it to make electricity(instead of coal/diesel's heating)
2007-01-15 23:38:52 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
fission is when the molicule is unstable therefore moving creating heat energy which turns turbines.
2007-01-15 23:37:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋