MadSci Network: Physics
Query:

Subject: Why is it rare for two deuterium nuclei to form helium-4 in fusion reaction

Date: Wed Sep 29 07:43:10 2004
Posted by Bruce
Grade level: 10-12 School: No school entered.
City: No city entered. State/Province: No state entered. Country: Australia
Area of science: Physics
ID: 1096461790.Ph
Message:

A nuclear reaction for deuterium-deuterium fusion is: D + D --> He3 + n
(d=deuterium n=neutron, He3=Helium-3). However I thought that Helium-4 is a more
stable isotope than helium-3, and hence would have predicted that: D + D --> He4
+ photon, would have been more likely. Why is this not so? Thank you.


Re: Why is it rare for two deuterium nuclei to form helium-4 in fusion reaction

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