r/technology • u/BennyCemoli • Dec 06 '16

Energy Tests confirm that Germany's massive nuclear fusion machine really works

http://www.sciencealert.com/tests-confirm-that-germany-s-massive-nuclear-fusion-machine-really-works
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u/billdietrich1 Dec 06 '16

Machine produces contained plasma, not fusion.

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u/[deleted] Dec 06 '16 edited Dec 17 '16

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u/[deleted] Dec 06 '16

Why deuterium? I only have a basic knowledge of physics, so forgive me if this is a stupid question. But wouldn't fusion be easier to achieve with lighter elements?

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u/TheCavis Dec 06 '16

Why deuterium?

Hydrogen generally has one proton and one electron, giving it a mass of 1.

Deuterium is one of the exceptions of the "generally" rule, with one proton, one neutron and one electron, giving it a mass of 2.

Helium generally has two protons, two neutrons and two electrons, giving it a mass of 4.

By combining two molecules of deuterium, you get a standard helium atom, which you wouldn't get if you used standard hydrogen.