Scientific Tutor

What is Fusion?

There are two basic ways to go about creating new elements. One is to take lighter elements like Hydrogen and turn them into heavier elements like Carbon and Iron. This lighter to heavier process is called fusion. In fusion, you basically take two lighter elements and smash them together to make heavier elements like taking two pieces of small cookie dough and making a bigger cookie. The most common way for fusion to happen is in a star like our sun. Because of the stars large gravitational force, it can smash these elements together to make heavier ones. Currently, our sun is taking much of its’ hydrogen and smashing it together to make helium. Look at the example below of a nuclear equation that involves fusion. If you want to know more about fusion and how it works in nature click this link.

A very common FUSION equation that happens in our sun.

What is Fission?

The other way to create new elements is to take a heavy element like Uranium and break it into smaller elements like Barium or Iodine. This heavier to lighter is called fission. This is just like taking a large piece of cookie dough and breaking it into two smaller pieces of cookie dough. The most common way for fission to happen is in a nuclear power plant. Fission usually occurs when large elements are bombarded by radiation or small particles. This acts to break up the larger element. Take a look at the example below of a nuclear equation that involves fission. If you want to know more about fission and how it works in nature click this link.

A very common FISSION equation that happens in nuclear power plants.