A fusion reaction may have been achieved

Huge, if true.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/12/11/fusion-nuclear-energy-breakthrough/


The Department of Energy plans to announce Tuesday that scientists have been able for the first time to produce a fusion reaction that creates a net energy gain — a major milestone in the decades-long, multibillion-dollar quest to develop a technology that provides unlimited, cheap, clean power.

 

Wouldn't a net energy gain violate the 1st law of thermodynamics? Or has it just been too long since I've been in a physics class?

 

E=mc2, so conversion of mass to energy? The energy is being released from the fusion process, not the laser.

note: I am not a scientist and just guessing.

 

I have never understood how this fusion thing doesn’t break the laws of thermodynamics.

 

Here’s a fusion for dummies (like me) explanation:

 

That would be the only thing that makes sense. Not that I understand it, but at least it doesn't fold the universe in on itself.

 

Note my post incorrectly noted “fission” instead of “fusion”. I fixed my original post.

 

All good. I guess it's no different than an atomic bomb converting mass into energy. Maybe I'm just thrown off by a "net energy gain" and what that means.

 

Total mass of the nuclei created by fusion is less than the total mass of the two nuclei that fused. Difference in mass is released as energy. More energy than you put on to combine the nuclei, although the resulting lower mass means less 'potential energy' remaining. You haven't created or destroyed anything, simply traded mass for energy.

 

It's important to keep expectations tempered. Achieving a net gain from fusion is a huge step, but we're still a very long way from developing economically viable, utility-scale plants.

After all, solar panels and wind turbines already provide theoretically unlimited clean power. It's the cost to build them that is the limiting factor. It will be the same with fusion.

 

I thought that fusion did not violate the 1st Law of Thermodynamics because no new energy is created, merely converted to a different form and released?? Thus no violation of the conservation principle...but, that might just be pulling from my arse since it has been a really, really long time since I have typed the 1st Law of Thermodynamics, let alone applied it to anything.

 

Bazinga!

 

If we get nuclear fusion on Biden’s watch we’re going to need another face on Mt. Rushmore.

 

Amazing if true, could be a game changer!

 

Philosophically, in terms of human thinking, will fusion replacing fission (if it happens) effectuate a change in the way we see the world as combining instead of dividing, more symbiotic? Is this another moment like when quantum supplanting/supplementing Newtonian physics, in which we had to confront the fact that maybe God did play dice, makes us reevaluate our philosophy?

 

Soooo... I could trade my ex (mass) for a tank of gas (energy)?
Count me in.