Nuclear fusion is a process that naturally occurs within the sun. Within the extreme pressure and temperature of the sun’s core, hydrogen nuclei are joined, or “fused” together to produce helium nuclei. During this process, a tiny bit of matter is transformed into an awesome amount of energy. Using nuclear fusion, one gram of matter (about the mass of a dollar bill) produces approximately the same amount of energy in approximately 20,000 tons of dynamite.

Advantages and Limitations
Even though nuclear fusion is still only in development, it promises to provide many potential advantages for the future. Fusion reactions might provide three to four times more energy than the fission reactions used in current nuclear power plants. Also, the fuel used for a fusion reaction is easily obtained from water, which is widely available. Additionally, fusion power plants do not produce greenhouse gases or particulate pollutant emissions. Helium, a harmless inert gas, is the primary byproduct of fusion reactions, which can be collected, stored, and used as additional fuel. Furthermore, compared to other energy sources, such as sunlight and wind, the area needed for a fusion power plant is much smaller.

The fusion process does pose some limitations, such as the resulting build-up of radioactivity. Additionally, at this time, it is not a cost-effective means of producing energy. We must thoroughly investigate any other limitations before nuclear fusion can be made commercially available.