Barrons AP Environmental Science

Nuclear fusion can occur when extremely high temperatures are used to force
nuclei of isotopes of lightweight atoms to fuse together, which causes large
amounts of energy to be released. A coal-fed electrical generating plant,
producing 1,000 megawatts of electricity in one day, produces 30,000 tons
(30,000,000 kg) of CO 2 gas, 600 tons (544,311 kg) of SO 2 gas, and 80 tons

(70,000 kg) of NO 2 gas. In contrast, a fusion plant producing the same amount of

electricity would produce 4 pounds (2 kg) of harmless helium as a waste
product.

Figure  8.21    Nuclear fusion

Pros

■ No    greenhouse  gases   are involved.

■ Virtually limitless   fuel    available   (deuterium  can be  distilled   from    seawater

and the tritium can be  “bred”  in  the reactor).

■ No    chain   reaction.   It  is  easier  to  control or  stop    than    fission reactions.

■ Little    or  no  nuclear waste.  Core    remains radioactive for only    about   100

years.

Cons

■ No    full-scale  production  of  fusion  reactors    is  expected    until   at  least   2050.

■ Commercial    power   plants  would   be  extremely   expensive   to  build.

■ Requires  extremely   high    temperatures    and is  difficult   to  contain.

■ The   billions    of  dollars spent   on  research    funding could   be  spent   on  other