The first step of the Hydrogen fusion process: a
nucleus
of Deuterium (2H) is formed from two protons
with the emission of an antielectron and a neutrino.
University of Oregon
The Hydrogen Fusion Process
The basic Hydrogen fusion cycle involves four Hydrogen nuclei (protons)
and two electrons and yields a Helium nucleus, two neutrinos and six photons.
This process occurs in three steps: the first one is the
Fusion
of Hydrogen into Deuterium. Here two protons collide, one proton turns
into a neutron emitting an antielectron and a neutrino.
The remaining proton is bound to the neutron forming a heavy Hydrogen (Deuterium)
nucleus while the antielectron just produced will annihilate with an electron
generating two high-energy photons.
The second step is the the
formation of Helium-3: a proton is captured by a nucleus of Deuterium
emitting a photon and forming then a 3He
nucleus.
The third step is recombination
of two Helium-3 into one nucleus of Helium with the emission of two
protons.
Note that steps 1 and 2 each happen twice for each time step 3 occurs.
In this process the total net energy released is to
26 MeV.
Movies courtesy of University of Oregon
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