Quote:
Originally Posted by Xerxys
I didn't know how fusion bombs operated twisted, I was under the impression they simply combust. Seeing as hydrogen is highly combustible. I thought fusion was fixing two hydrogens into helium for burning process like the sun does but this is done at impressive heights of temperature. Which is why I never paid attention to the entire process. I never thought it possible to recreate feasibly. Which reminds me, I meant to ask, is this even cost effective?
On the other hand, hydrogen explodes when it comes into contact with air. Second to electricity, wouldn't fuel oil (literally from crude oil) be the safest method of energy? This is why I see it staying around for the next coupl'a years ...
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It sounds like you have a few misconceptions about fusion. Fusion is a process where atomic nuclei fuse to form a heavier nucleus, for example two hydrogen nuclei becoming one helium nucleus. Combustion, on the other hand, is a chemical process that involves pairing electrons between atoms to form covalent bonds (in essence, two atoms each contribute an electron and they share that pair of electrons).
The fact that hydrogen is combustible has nothing to do with its use in fusion.
As for whether fusion is cost effective, the answer is currently no. The amount of energy required to start a fusion reaction is higher than what we can extract from it. This new laser reactor is no different, but hopefully the knowledge gained from it will allow practical fusion reactors to be built.