Why is it so difficult for atoms to fuse together?

Since the nucleus of each atom is positively charged, there is a natural force that repels the atoms and keeps them from getting close enough to “fuse.” The fusion process, therefore, must use extreme temperatures and pressures to overcome the forces that naturally want to repel the atoms, and instead push their nuclei …

Why is fusion power so difficult?

Normally, fusion is not possible because the strongly repulsive electrostatic forces between the positively charged nuclei prevent them from getting close enough together to collide and for fusion to occur.

What factors make fusion reaction difficult?

The simple answer is that it has been particularly difficult to obtain high enough plasma densities , temperatures , and energy confinement times simultaneously for a reactor to approach ignition conditions.

When two hydrogen atoms combine with one oxygen atom The result is water which is called?

It is possible for the same kinds of atoms to combine in different but definite proportions to form different molecules; for example, two atoms of hydrogen will chemically bond with one atom of oxygen to yield a water molecule, whereas two atoms of hydrogen can chemically bond with two atoms of oxygen to form a …

What is the main technical difficulty in dealing with fusion reactions?

What is the main technical difficulty in dealing with fusion reactions? The amount of energy needed to overcome the electrical repulsion of the reactants is extremely high.

Why can’t hydrogen and oxygen exist in the atmosphere together?

Hydrogen and oxygen gases mix at room temperature with no chemical reaction. This is because the speed of the molecules does not provide enough kinetic energy to activate the reaction during collisions between the reactants.

How do hydrogen atoms combine to form hydrogen molecules?

The Hydrogen Molecule When two hydrogen atoms combine to form a hydrogen molecule, H2, they do so in a way quite different from the electron transfer process we have been discussing. Instead of transferring an electron to form H + and H − ions, the two atoms share their two electrons.

Why does hydrogen not form ionic crystals?

Since it is so difficult to remove an electron completely from hydrogen, the atom does not form ionic crystals as do the other first column elements. Also, since hydrogen only lacks one electron to form a closed shell, it can form only one covalent bond by sharing an electron pair.

Why is hydrogen not a covalent compound?

Hydrogen can thus not form the tetrahedrally coordinated structures characteristic of the other covalent elements. Finally, because the proton is so much smaller than any other ion core, the nucleus of hydrogen can come very close to large negative ions forming structures unattainable with other positive ions.

What is an example of hydrogen bonding?

As an illustration of hydrogen bonding, one of the phases of ice is shown in Fig. 9.32. Each oxygen atom in the figure is joined to two hydrogen atoms by covalent bonds and to two other hydrogen atoms by electrostatic attraction in much the same way as ions are joined to each other in an ionic crystal.