Fission vs. Fusion

Fuse small atoms2H2 He

NO Radioactive

waste

Very HighTemperatures~5,000,000 oC

(SUN)

Split large atoms

U-235

Radioactive waste

(long half-life)

NuclearPowerPlants

Alike Different

Create Large Amounts

of EnergyE = mc2

Transmutationof Elements

Occurs

Change Nucleus

of Atoms

Fusion

Different

Topic Topic

Fission

• Use fear and selective facts

to promote an agenda

• Eating animals?

• Radiation = Bad

Look who is funding research; it may bias the results.

Shielding Radiation

Nuclear Fission

First stage: 1 fission Second stage: 2 fission Third stage: 4 fission

Nuclear Fission

Nuclear Power Plants

map: Nuclear Energy Institute

Fermi Approximations

FERMI APPROXIMATIONS An educated guess – based on a seriesof calculations of known facts – to arriveat a reasonable answer to a question.

How many piano tuners are there in New York City?

ANSWER:

Enrico Fermi

400 piano tuners400 piano tuners

Nuclear Fusion

Sun

+ +

Fourhydrogen

nuclei(protons)

Two betaparticles

(electrons)

Oneheliumnucleus

He e2 H4 4

2

0

1-

1

1 + Energy

Conservation of Mass…mass is converted into energy

Hydrogen (H2) H = 1.008 amuHelium (He) He = 4.004 amu

FUSIONFUSION

2 H2 1 He + ENERGY

1.008 amux 44.0032 amu = 4.004 amu + 0.028 amu

This relationship was discovered by Albert EinsteinE = mcE = mc22

Energy= (mass) (speed of light)2

Time Travel?

…Albert Einstein also discovered the Geometry of Space Near a Black Hole

Einstein’s theory of general relativity maybe interpreted interms of curvature of space in the presence of a gravitationalfield. Here we see how this curvature varies near a black hole.

Time Travel?

…Albert Einstein also discovered the Geometry of Space Near a Black Hole

Einstein’s theory of general relativity maybe interpreted interms of curvature of space in the presence of a gravitationalfield. Here we see how this curvature varies near a black hole.

Time Travel?

…Albert Einstein also discovered the Geometry of Space Near a Black Hole

Einstein’s theory of general relativity maybe interpreted interms of curvature of space in the presence of a gravitationalfield. Here we see how this curvature varies near a black hole.

Tokamak Reactor

• Fusion reactor• 10,000,000 o Celcius• Russian for torroidial

(doughnut shaped) ring

• Magnetic field contains plasma

Cold Fusion?

• Fraud?

• Experiments must

be repeatable to

be valid

0 1 2 3 4Number of half-lives

Rad

iois

otop

e re

mai

ning

(%

)

100

50

25

12.5

Half-life of Radiation

Initial amountof radioisotope

t1/2

t1/2

t1/2

After 1 half-life

After 2 half-lives

After 3 half-lives