Nuclear fusion is a clean energy that uses the most abundant fuel source in the galaxy, hydrogen. Fusion takes two hydrogen atoms and forces them together creating; helium, a neutron and most importantly energy. Although it has been used in the past, most notably in H-Bombs, a controlled nuclear fusion reaction has been and is elusive. Currently, controlled nuclear fusion is possible but they do not produce as much energy as they require. Through the use of immense gravity, a star can perform a fusion reaction releasing its energy, mostly through light and heat.The immeasurable amount of energy released by the sun has powered life on Earth from the beginning. More recently scientists have been able to trap some of that energy through the …show more content…
Altogether the energy that could be released by nuclear fusion is greater than the same amount by fossil fuels, roughly “a million times greater” (Pease, 584). The fear of nuclear radiation and waste is one of the arguments against conventional nuclear reactions, but in nuclear fusion this is not a problem. The only radioactive particle produced, the low energy alpha particle, is contained to the reaction and further powers the reaction. This means that the reaction is self-sustaining as long as fuel is present. This is one of the limitations with current nuclear fusion reactors, the reaction can run on its own, but the high temperature requires a high level cooling system which will quickly become ineffective meaning that the reaction has to be stopped. The only limitations of fusion energy is, as David J. Rose in Controlled Nuclear Fusion: Status and Outlook extrapolates is “[although]physics is permissive, engineering and economics are yet to come” (Rose 903). As Rose indicates, the only factors holding us back from controlled and efficient nuclear fusion are technological and economical. With enough investment, like the 12 billion in the proposed International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER or “the way”), the technology will be available which then means that nuclear fusion is possible in a useful