Nuclear Fusion | Fusion energy explained with Hydrogen atom example | Physics animation video

Nuclear Fusion | Fusion energy explained with Hydrogen atom example | Physics animation video

In this video we will understand how to or more nucleons merge or fuse together to create something more powerful and meaningful.
Let us first understand the meaning of the word NUCLEAR FUSION, Nuclear meaning the process which involves Nucleus and Fusion in English means two or more entities coming together or merging together to form one single entity.
So, nuclear fusion can be simply defined as the fusion or Combination of Nuclei. Scientifically, Nuclear Fusion can be defined as a nuclear reaction, in which lighter nuclei are combined together to form heavier product nuclei with the release of enormous amount of energy.
Lighter Nuclei such as Lithium and Helium when combined together form a Heavier Nucleus. The mass of heavier nucleus is less than the initial reacting nuclei. The word 'heavier' here is phrased in terms of energy released, which is usually enormous, rather than mass. Therefore the law of conservation of energy is satisfied.
Consider the example of two hydrogen nuclei combining to form a deuterium.
The chemical equation for this reaction is1 1H + 1 1H → 2 1H + 0 +1e + 00 v.
Here, one Hydrogen atom combines with another Hydrogen atom giving Deuterium, one Positron and one Neutrino. This Deuterium in turn combines with another Hydrogen nucleus to form a Helium isotope.
That is, 21H + 1 1H → 3 2He(Helium Isotope)
If two such Helium isotopes are fused together, formation of heavier helium takes place.
In other words, 3 2He + 3 2He → 4 2He + 21 1H
These 3steps of nuclear process, where four protons are fused together to form a heavier 4 2He nucleus and enormous amount of energy is a nuclear fusion reaction.
The chemical equation for this nuclear fusion is:
41 1H → 4 2He + 2 0+1e + 2 00v + Q which is the Energy emitted in the Fusion reaction.
(4 protons when fused together give rise to 2 heavier nucleus, 2 positrons, 2 neutrinos and enormous energy.)
But how is this enormous amount of energy being liberated from such a seemingly simple nuclear reaction. To understand this, let us first calculate the loss of mass in the process.
The starting mass is that of four protons, that is 4 X 1.0078 = 4.0312amu, but the final mass of Helium nucleus is 2me= 4.001506amu.
Therefore the loss of mass is 4.0312 - 4.001506 = 0.0297 amu.
This is equivalent to an energy given by Q = (0.0297amu) X 931,5 Mev/amu =27.67 Mev.
Wow......That is a significant energy release coming from the fusion of 4 protons.
However, in spite of such substantial amounts of energy being released in nuclear fusion reactions, there are no full-time nuclear reactors built so far for fusion reaction as it is very hard to control such enormous energy released.

[russellgoodwin]

My students would like to point out that when you discuss hydrogen fusing to form helium, you actually show an animation of helium fusing to form carbon-10, which is both the wrong animation, and impossible.

There are other issues too, but we are going to switch to a different clip.

[hbb]

The atoms that you call Hydrogen, have 2 protons and 2 neutrons. That's Helium.

[uselessspectator]

Wow. I learnt more in three minutes of Youtube than one week in my Science class... you wanna know what we learned... Energy makes STUFF do STUFF. Gosh... how did my Science teacher get hired? 

[adityasalunkhe]

It is a proton proton chain reaction. Deuterium(Hydrogen isotope) reacts with another proton(Hydrogen) at high core temperature to overcome electrostatic force and the previously released positron(Beta-decay) collides with an electron to form gamma radiation. In both of these steps large amount of energy is emitted which leads to loss of little bit of mass in the final nucleus according to E=mc^2

[hyangster]

pause the video at 1:33. you labeled heavier helium under the wrong one.

[cyneksb]

1 minute, 9 seconds in the narrator says it's an example of 2 hydrogen nuclei (and the annotations are for hydrogen) when clearly the video depicts 2 helium nuclei.

[slydesplaylists]

This is a good animation theres no sign of carbon quartzers from Earths biggest fad. Interacting protons fundamentaly equate and decay to other elements though sure it's dependant on the electromagnetic force in direction of decay through thermal dynamics through the gas to solid hydrogen eventually, also having an opposite space force enacting a stable state would have calculable toroids like at the Livermoor labs experiments.A good example for Astrophysical apps.

[ahsanzia]

well explained, hopefully I will ace my exam on sunday

[MikeyG_f-of-x]

At 1:10 in the video you say "consider two hydrogen nuclei.." but you are showing two helium nuclei (each with two protons and two neutrons)

[Hank]

"...to create something more powerful and meaningful"

?!?!?!?!?!?

>Clicked away<

[Haze]

Holy crap that's a lot of energy!

[krapsenhelb]

If on the fission reaction matter loss its mass and convert into energy, what's the theory of fusion reaction?

[vidyalele]

at 1.33 min, the third reaction shown has a product, Heavier Helium, which is actually two Hydrogen atoms. It should be corrected.

[gfcarvalho]

hey, i understood that part of the mass is converted into energy, but the number of protons and neutrons remains the same. Does anyone knows what part of the nucleus is converted to energy? i need it for a school presentation, but i cant find this information anywhere. Thanks.

[galvarez]

This leaning video is better than Crash Course.

[kimatkins]

How can a Hydrogen atom have 2 protons??

[shashankchandra]

Mass is just concentrated energy right? If energy stays in one place relative to one frame of reference for long period of time ( for example  binding energy staying within proton relative to the frame of reference (other protons or neutrons of nucleus) is called as mass right?

[nythawk]

My everything would love to host that energy release...

[OzymandiasWasRight]

Is quantum tunnelling required in all fusion reactions, or just to begin the chain reaction?

[ghast]

Is there any waste gonna be produced?
Does it runs out of fussable nuclei?