# WALE

## fusion chemistry example

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As shown in the plot of nuclear binding energy per nucleon versus atomic number in Figure 21.6.3, fusion reactions are most exothermic for the lightest element. A necessary part in nuclear fusion is plasma, which is a mixture of atomic nuclei and electrons that are required to initiate a self-sustaining reaction which requires a temperature of more than 40,000,000 K. Why does it take so much heat to achieve nuclear fusion even for light elements such as hydrogen? For example: $\ce{^2_1H + ^3_1H \rightarrow ^4_2He + ^1_0n} + \text{energy}$. New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2007. Inman Press 2007. Watch the recordings here on Youtube! Nuclear fusion is also applied in nuclear weapons, specifically, a hydrogen bomb. Unless otherwise noted, LibreTexts content is licensed by CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. ". There are some things to consider however. For example, when discussing the combination of atomic nuclei, it's better to refer to nuclear fusion rather than simply fusion. When uncontrolled, this process can provide almost unlimited sources of energy and an uncontrolled chain provides the basis for a hydrogen bond, since most commonly hydrogen is fused. Example 21.6.3 and its … William E. Stephens. B Calculate the change in mass per mole of 235U. Fusion occurs in the stars. Fission reactions on the other hand is the type used in nuclear power plants and can be controlled. April 18, 2020, 3:03 am, by For example, the so-called hydrogen bomb (or H bomb) is actually a deuterium–tritium bomb (a D–T bomb), which uses a nuclear fission reaction to create the very high temperatures needed to initiate fusion of solid lithium deuteride (6 LiD), which releases neutrons that then react with 6 Li, producing tritium. GAVIN THOMAS For example, hydrogen and hydrogen can merge to form helium. The reaction is followed either by a release or absorption of energy. Each series of events is called a generation. The enormous energy released from nuclear chain reactions is responsible for the massive destruction caused by the detonation of nuclear weapons such as fission bombs, but it also forms the basis of the nuclear power industry. Nuclear Fission and Atomic Energy. Instead, they were radioisotopes of much lighter elements such as Sr and Ba. The pressure at the core of any star is tremendously high and that is where the nuclear fusion reaction takes place. It is called casting the process by which metals change from the solid to the liquid state , usually to be then introduced into a cavity where it solidifies, giving a new shape to something that in its solid form there had been no way to modify it. Figure $$\PageIndex{1}$$: Binding energy per nucleon of common isotopes. Also, the combination of deuterium atoms to form helium atoms fuel this thermonuclear process. You may also look through One of the well known elements used in nuclear fission is $$\ce{^{235}U}$$, which when is bombarded with a neutron, the atom turns into $$\ce{^{236}U}$$ which is even more unstable and splits into daughter nuclei such as Krypton-92 and Barium-141 and free neutrons. Nuclear binding energy is the energy required to keep the protons and neutrons of a nucleus intact, and the energy that is released during a nuclear fission or fusion is nuclear power. When these neutrons collide with and induce fission in other neighboring nuclei, a self-sustaining series of nuclear fission reactions known as a nuclear chain reaction can result (Figure 21.6.2). The explosion of a bomb only occurs if the chain reaction exceeds its critical mass. Calculate the amount of energy (in electronvolts per atom and kilojoules per mole) released when deuterium and tritium fuse to give helium-4 and a neutron: ΔE = −17.6 MeV/atom = −1.697 × 109 kJ/mol. The fusion  consists of a change of state of a matter in solid to liquid state . A The change in mass that accompanies the reaction is as follows: The change in energy in electronvolts per atom is as follows: B The change in mass per mole of $$_{92}^{235}\textrm{U}$$ is −0.188386 g = −1.88386 × 10−4 kg, so the change in energy in kilojoules per mole is as follows: \(\begin{align}\Delta E&=(\Delta m)c^2=(-1.88386\times10^{-4}\textrm{ kg})(2.998\times10^8\textrm{ m/s})^2 This barrier can be overcome if one or both particles have sufficient kinetic energy to overcome the electrostatic repulsions, allowing the two nuclei to approach close enough for a fusion reaction to occur. If the mass of the fissile isotope is greater than the critical mass, then under the right conditions, the resulting supercritical mass can release energy explosively. The LibreTexts libraries are Powered by MindTouch® and are supported by the Department of Education Open Textbook Pilot Project, the UC Davis Office of the Provost, the UC Davis Library, the California State University Affordable Learning Solutions Program, and Merlot. GAVIN THOMAS The consequence of fission or fusion is the absorption or release of energy. The level of temperature at which chemical fusion occurs is precisely called the melting point , and is related to the level of external pressure at which it is located. GAVIN THOMAS If nuclear reaction is not controlled because of lack of cooling water for example, then a meltdown will occur.