Fusion is the joining of atomic nuclei and fission is the splitting of atomic nuclei.Three important differences between fission and fusion include: What are 3 Differences between Fission and Fusion? Is Fission or Fusion more Powerful?įusion releases several times the energy generated by fission, making it a far more powerful process. FAQs What is the Difference between Fusion and Fission?įusion is where two light atomic nuclei combine and release energy, while fission is the process of splitting two heavy, unstable atomic nuclei into two lighter nuclei, also releasing energy – although less than with fusion. This fusing of isotopes releases several times as much energy as the fission process, without producing long-term radioactive by-products. This typically occurs with the hydrogen isotopes tritium (hydrogen-3) and deuterium (hydrogen-2), which combine to create a helium isotope and a single extra neutron. Fusionįusion occurs when two low-mass isotopes combine under conditions of extreme heat and pressure. The energy that is produced is used to heat water into steam, producing electricity by turning turbines to power a generator. The neutrons that are released create further fission reactions that continue the process with other uranium-235 atoms. Most nuclear reactors use uranium-235 as the target nucleus into which a neutron is accelerated to split the atom into two smaller isotopes (called ‘fission products’) as well as three more neutrons, releasing a large amount of energy. The energy required for fusion has been a barrier to its widespread use for energy generation Fusion needs more energy to accomplish than fission does.Fusion doesn’t produce harmful long-term radioactive waste as a by-product like fission does.The fusion reaction releases more energy than fission.Fission releases energy when atoms are split, while fusion releases energy when atoms are joined.What Are The Key Differences?Īlthough both fusion and fission use atomic energy, there are a number of key differences between the two processes: Other, alternative reactors being tested use lasers to heat and compress hydrogen fuel to create fusion. These conditions allow the highly energised particles to overcome their natural electromagnetic repulsion as they collide, fusing them together and releasing huge amounts of energy.

The energised plasma particles collide and heat up as auxiliary heating systems increase the temperature to the required levels for fusion (150-300 million ☌). These temperatures are ten times that found at the core of the Sun, but are needed for the process as it is impossible to create the gravitational pressure within the Sun instead. This plasma is a superheated, ionised gas that needs to be contained by strong magnetic fields as it can reach temperatures of 100,000,000☌ or more. When subjected to high heat and pressure electrons are forced away from the deuterium atoms to create a plasma. While still being developed, a fusion reactor (known as a tokamak) uses a gas – usually a hydrogen isotope that can be extracted from seawater called deuterium. This process occurs naturally in the centre of stars like the Sun and creates no long-term radioactive waste or greenhouse gases.įusion power plants operate in a similar manner to fission plants, using the heat generated by the atomic reaction to heat water, produce steam, drive turbines and generate electricity, but it has been a challenge to create the required conditions in a fusion reactor without consuming more energy than is produced.

Nuclear fusion is the process of combining atomic nuclei rather than splitting them (as with fission) to produce energy. For example, uranium-235 atoms split into nuclei of krypton and barium along with three extra neutrons that create fission chain reactions by hitting other uranium-235 atoms. Neutrons are then fired at the uranium atoms, causing them to split and release more neutrons that hit other atoms, creating a chain reaction that splits more atoms, releasing energy as heat and radiation. The process of splitting an atom at a power plant involves placing uranium in sealed metal cylinders inside a steel reactor vessel. As the process uses uranium rather than fossil fuels to generate the heat, there are no carbon emissions with the nuclear fission process. This energy is released as heat and radiation, with the heat being used by a nuclear power plant to boil water into steam to turn a turbine and drive generators to produce electricity. Nuclear fission involves the splitting of atoms to release the binding energy of the atomic nuclei. National Structural Integrity Research Centre.Structural Integrity Research Foundation.

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