Fusion Podcast

This podcast is about nuclear fusion, largely in the center of stars. The core of many stars are extremely hot, over 10,000,000 degrees Kelvin. When the temperature is this high, the particles in the sun, such as hydrogen atoms and electrons, move at extremely high velocities. At these velocities it is possible for the atoms to overcome the repulsive forces of their charges. If 2 hydrogen atoms collide at a high enough velocity they will fuse together and create heavy hydrogen, which is a hydrogen atom with a neutron. This reaction also produces energy on the level of 1-10 MeV along with neutrinos. This heavy hydrogen then collides with another proton and then with another proton to create a helium atom. These reactions release photons with a blackbody spectrum that peaks in the ultraviolet range but also releases photons up to the gamma ray section. If the Sun could be seen outside the Earth's atmosphere it would appear to be a whitish color because it releases all the visible colors, which forms white. The process of fusion also is what keeps the star 'inflated.' Without this energy pushing the outer layers out, then gravity would cause the star to collapse in on itself and possible create a supernova. Nuclear fusion can be used on Earth to create energy, but the problem is that storing the fusion takes more energy than the fusion itself creates, so there is no point to do it. Solving this problem could greatly reduce the energy crisis on Earth and could be used for great benefit to mankind.