The power of the stars, recreated on Earth
Nuclear fusion is the process where two light atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing enormous amounts of energy.
It powers stars like the Sun.
Fusion releases energy because the resulting nucleus has less mass than the original particles—the missing mass becomes energy.
The most common reaction studied is:
To make fusion happen, you need:
Scientists are developing machines to control fusion on Earth.
Tokamak Reactors ↓
Use magnetic fields to confine plasma in a donut shape.
Laser Fusion ↓
Uses powerful lasers to compress fuel pellets and trigger fusion.
Fusion reactions are hard to sustain—small instabilities can stop the process instantly.
Fusion promises:
It could revolutionize global energy production.
However, commercial fusion power is still under development and may take decades to fully realize.