Page 31 - Curriculum Visions Dynamic Book

 The elements are made inside the stars. Different elements form at different stages of the life cycle of a star. Hydrogen burns to form helium in the young bright stars; helium reacts to yield carbon. This process then continues as stars change and become red giants in which nitrogen, oxygen, iron, cobalt and nickel are formed.
As the stars finally explode to form the huge gas clouds called supernovas, fusion creates the heavier elements before the gas loses its heat to the immensity of space.
fusion: combining atoms to form a heavier atom.
thermonuclear reactions: reactions that occur within atoms due to fusion, releasing an immensely concentrated amount of energy.
Pollution-free radiation
The real benefit of fusion is that
it does not create any radioactive pollution. Fusion is not a chain reaction like fission and so cannot run out of control and cause a massive explosion. Thus, the present generation of nuclear reactors is just a temporary step on the way to a nuclear energy goal. This is why countries need to pursue nuclear technology,
so that they do not fall behind and can really benefit from the development of fusion power when it comes.
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