What are fusion reactors

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What are fusion reactors?
Fusion reactors, also known as fusion nuclear plants, are devices that produce electricity using nuclear fusion reactions. Ever since the 1930’s scientist have discovered nuclear fusion from the sun and stars. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that researchers wanted to experiment and create a fusion reactor.



A fusion reactor creates energy by combining two small atomic nuclei. When these nuclei bond, they convert their combined mass into a large amount of energy. This occurs because of Einstein’s equation, E=mc2. Nuclear fission is when the energy from the nuclei bonds is split and turns back into mass. In order for the nuclei mass to fuse into energy, they must both be positively charged and must approach each other at a high speed, this helps them overcome the repulsion that two positive atoms create. In order to create useful amounts of energy, many nuclei must go under this process.

Because of the large amount of positive nuclei that is needed, a gas is needed. The nuclei need to be filled with kinetic energy so the fusion combination can occur. Heating an ordinary gas to a temperature where electrons are “knocked out” of their atoms. This results in a ionized gas where negative electrons are eliminated. This ionized gas is in a plasma state, the fourth state of matter. The temperature of the plasma is about 100,000,000 °C. This is is more than six times the temperature at the center of the Sun. These higher temperatures are required for the lower pressures and densities encountered in fusion reactors.


A fusion reactor would not release the pollutants that are caused by the combustion of fossil fuels, which cause global warming. Because the worlds increase of pollution, maybe using fusion reactors can prevent. Fusion reactors prevent radioactivity, it is reliable for it is always available unlike solar power or hydroelectric power.




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