nuclear fusion
Atoms merging violently
Nuclear fusion is the process of combining light atomic nuclei to form heavier ones, releasing enormous energy.
It powers the sun and other stars, where hydrogen atoms fuse into helium under extreme heat and pressure.
Scientists have long pursued controlled fusion as a potential energy source—cleaner than fission, with virtually limitless fuel—but sustaining the required conditions remains technically elusive.
Electrified matter state
- deuteriumHydrogen isotope with neutron
- tritiumHydrogen's radioactive isotope
- tokamakPlasma confinement device
- ignitionStarting combustion process
neutrons · helium-3 · isotopes · magnetic confinement · inertial confinement · cross-section · breakeven
Involving nuclear fusion heat
- hydrogen bombThermonuclear fusion weapon
- H-bombFusion-powered explosive weapon
- warheadMunition's explosive section
- yieldProduce or relinquish
megaton · Castle Bravo · proliferation · test ban · stockpile
Earth's primary star
- coreCentral essential portion
- main sequenceStable stellar burning phase
- red giantAged star with cooled, expanded envelope
- supernovaExploding massive star
nucleosynthesis · corona · solar flare · brown dwarf · white dwarf · neutron star · heavy elements
Process of creating electricity
- reactorControlled fission apparatus
- clean energyPower from sustainable sources
- baseloadMinimum continuous power demand
- electricityEnergy from charged particles
grid · megawatt · gigawatt · blanket · heat exchanger · steam turbine · energy density · pilot plant
plasma
Electrified matter state
- deuteriumHydrogen isotope with neutron
- tritiumHydrogen's radioactive isotope
- tokamakPlasma confinement device
ignition · neutrons · helium-3 · isotopes · magnetic confinement · inertial confinement · cross-section · breakeven
thermonuclear
Involving nuclear fusion heat
- hydrogen bombThermonuclear fusion weapon
- H-bombFusion-powered explosive weapon
- warheadMunition's explosive section
yield · megaton · Castle Bravo · proliferation · test ban · stockpile
sun
Earth's primary star
- coreCentral essential portion
- main sequenceStable stellar burning phase
- red giantAged star with cooled, expanded envelope
supernova · nucleosynthesis · corona · solar flare · brown dwarf · white dwarf · neutron star · heavy elements
power generation
Process of creating electricity
- reactorControlled fission apparatus
- clean energyPower from sustainable sources
- baseloadMinimum continuous power demand
electricity · grid · megawatt · gigawatt · blanket · heat exchanger · steam turbine · energy density · pilot plant
- solar physicssunspots, solar flares, corona, photosphere, chromosphere
- energyelectricity, power, oil, fuel, gas
- physicsphysics, momentum, atom, acceleration, gravity
- clean energysolar power, solar, wind power, wind, solar panels
- green energywind power, solar power, renewables, solar farm, solar panel
- scientific phrasesbig bang, black hole, natural selection, climate change, genetic code
nuclear fusionnuclear fission
Atomic core division
fission · atomic fission · splitting the atom · radioactive decay · nuclear decay
nuclear fusioncoal power
Electricity from combusted sedimentary carbon
burning · hydroelectric power · solar power · wind power · geothermal energy
fusion, nuclear, nucleus, nucleic, nucleate, nucleoside, nuclei, nucleolus, nuclide