Monday, October 1, 2001

Fusion Power Within Reach?

To make nuclear fusion occur, atoms must first be broken down into electrons and atomic nuclei. This produces an electrically charged gas called plasma. The bare nuclei must then be forced together so that they merge. Because like charges repel, this is difficult. At the heart of our Sun, fusion takes place at a temperature of 15 million degrees and a pressure of 100,000 atmospheres. Because it is not possible to reproduce these conditions on Earth, terrestrial fusion reactors must operate at lower pressures and higher temperatures - about 100 million degrees.
http://www.cosmiverse.com/space10020103.html

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