In our current timeline, humanity as we know it relies on energy for almost everything. From our tablets to our phones, TV's to flashlights and countless other technologies that is in need of energy to work. To cover up these energy demands, humans have developed various methods to energy generation. Although, building structures to pay these energy costs is not an easy task to accomplish. However, humans have founded a way to solve this problem through nuclear reactors, which are categorized into two types: Fission Reactors and Fusion Reactors. These reactors use different approaches to produce enormous amounts of energy.
● Fusion Reactors
Fusion reactors use fusion reactions to generate huge amounts of energy. These reactions occur with two or more atomic nuclei (usually deuterium and tritium is used) combining to from one or more different atomic nuclei and subatomic particles.
● Fission Reactors
Fission reactors in the other hand use fission reactions to produce unbelievable amount of energy. These reactions occur with a neutron slamming into a larger atom, forcing it to excite and split into two smaller atoms. This reaction occurs more than one time, creating a chain reaction that generates huge amounts of heat.
● What is the difference between Fusion and Fission Reactors?
Fission reactors produces their energy from splitting heavy elements and creating chain reactions while fusion reactors gain theirs from fusing to light elements to form a heavier element
Nuclear fission leaves a nuclear waste which stays radioctive for a longer period of time while Nuclear fusions do not create and long-lived radioctive nuclear waste
Nuclear fission has a potential of causing nuclear accidents because of it having chain reactions in the process of splitting heavy elements while nuclear fusions dont have the potential because of the reaction not containing any chain reactions.
Unlike fusion, fission reactions can be controlled.
In conclusion, fission is our current nuclear technology, while fusion represents a promising, safer, and cleaner energy source for the future.