What is the difference between fission and fusion in chemistry

Asked 6 years, 11 months ago. Active 1 year, 9 months ago. Viewed 7k times. Improve this question. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. Improve this answer. Ron's given you the classic examples for fission and for fusion. Either process can absorb energy, or release it. Iron is the key element here. Sign up or log in Sign up using Google. Sign up using Facebook. Sign up using Email and Password. Post as a guest Name. Email Required, but never shown. Featured on Meta.

Now live: A fully responsive profile. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Nuclear fission versus nuclear fusion is briefly discussed below you can understand it easily. Different processes that produce different Products. Nesaab March 23, Last Updated: March 23, 0 1, 3 minutes read. Read Next Basic chemistry October 19, Basic chemistry October 19, Basic chemistry August 7, October 19, August 7, Related Articles.

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March 14, Here, two hydrogen nuclei are combined together to get a single helium nucleus. The reaction releases huge amount of energy.

This is the reaction that goes on constantly on the surface of sun which explains an unending source of power in the form of sun. It is clear that both fission and fusion are nuclear reactions that produce energy, but they are opposite of each other. While fission is splitting of a heavy, unstable nucleus into two lighter nuclei, fusion is the process where two light nuclei combine together releasing vast amounts of energy. It is normally fission that is used in nuclear power reactors as it can be controlled.

On the other hand, fusion theoretically releases much more energy than fission, yet is not utilized to produce power as this reaction is not easy to control and also it is very expensive to create the conditions necessary to start a fusion reaction.