Which is more: Energy released by nuclear fission or fusion? The energy released by one fission re

hisyhauttaq84w

hisyhauttaq84w

Answered question

2022-04-12

Which is more: Energy released by nuclear fission or fusion?
The energy released by one fission reaction is 190MeV and the energy released by one fusion reaction is 24.7MeV. Then by my common sense 190>24.7 so energy released by fission>fusion but the energy released by fusion reaction is 3 to 4 times greater than fission. Please explain me how. I hope 190>24.7

Answer & Explanation

empatteMattmkezo

empatteMattmkezo

Beginner2022-04-13Added 22 answers

"Then by my common sense 190>24.7 so energy released by fission>fusion"
The question is which fuel produces more energy, not which reaction.
You have failed to consider the mass of the fuel put into the reactions. Uranium is much heaver than hydrogen.
A single atom of U235 produces ~170 MeV (kinetic).
170/235 = 0.72
Two hydrogen isotopes, D2 and T3, produce 17.6 MeV.
17.6/5 = 3.5
Thus fusion is much more powerful than fission when you consider the amount of energy produced from a given mass of fuel:
3.5/0.72 = 4.8
I suspect your 24.7 MeV and resulting "3 to 4 times" is simply using a different reaction and/or accounting for energy that cannot actually be extracted.
Direkotogbkmn

Direkotogbkmn

Beginner2022-04-14Added 5 answers

For a give reaction energies of fission and fusion are roughly equal and opposite. If fissioning element A into elements B, C released energy, that means that A had more internal energy than B and C put together. If fusioning B and C into A released energy, it means that A had less internal energy than B and C put together. Both can't be true at once. If fusion releases net energy, fission must cost net energy, and vice-versa.

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