Chemistry+Applications+Essay+16

Chemistry Applications Essay

The Energy for the Future  Imagine having limitless power to run the whole world without any fighting or death involved. Imagine having that goal with no harm to the environment. Now imagine paying a low price to use this energy. No, these are not random musings of an eccentric man; this may be the future, the future powered by none other than nuclear fusion.  Today, in this 21st century life, the definition of survival has changed, instead of just eating and reproducing, the definition is now “eat, reproduce, and gather resources.” In America, the first two are taken care of thanks to the agricultural sector of America and the ratio of males to females being somewhat even. The last part is where the proverbial foot has kicked the proverbial mouth. In this second, electricity is fueling this computer as thoughts are being turned into sentences, water is being used as it is washing away dirt or keeping hydration levels even, and gas is expended as a pot of milk is being brought to a boil to quench the thirst of hot chocolate. As the law of the conversation of energy states, “energy cannot be created or destroyed; it may only be changed,” the problem lies in the fact of “where may the energy come from?” For millennia man has looked around him for energy and consequently has sped up global warming, destroyed habitats, and has caused untold misery to animal species from //Homo// sapiens to single celled bacterium.  As the consequences of the misguided past catch up to man, they have realized that the answer to their questions may not be on Earth, but lie in the stars. For centuries members of the human race of all ages, creed, race, and gender have looked up and wondered about the heavens from why the planets move to “are there canals on Mars?” Recently astrophysicists have discovered the core focus of this essay, the fuel of the stars, fusion. The closest thing to fusion man has conceived is fission. Nuclear fission is the art of splitting atoms to release immense amounts of energy as highlighted in Albert Einstein’s famous formula “E=mc2.” While fission may be used for energy, it is less efficient than fusion and unlike fusion, there is a point where the end incepts. Fusion is where two lighter nuclei combine to make a dense nucleus; in the sun, for example, two light hydrogen nuclei combine to form a heavier helium mass. But the only problem with that is the temperature involved. For the positive protons to “attract,” the nuclei must be heated to roughly 2.8x107 Kelvin. For comparison, the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth is a mere 3.3x102 K, definitely not hot enough to sustain hot fusion. On the other side, there is cold fusion. Cold fusion derives from the claim that nuclear reaction may occur at temperatures that are not in the millions of Kelvin but rather at room temperature. The hypothesis is that this may occur in an electrolytic cell with a palladium cathode that is electrolyzing deuterium oxide, or “heavy” water as it is commonly referred to. Yet what tickles the mind and provokes fantasies is not embedded within facts, it is born from the applications of the idea.  Of all the things that separate humanity from the rest of the world’s species is one thing, technology. This trait separates even man from man. Such as the fact of the Europeans of times gone by having largely superior technology on their side that allowed them to conquer the world. In junction, if cold or hot fusion is attempted and done by man, whoever is employer of the man shall be the most powerful country or person. For example, as pointed out, joules upon joules of energy is being expended as this author types away and to appease the law of the conversation of mass, “new” energy has to be introduced into the system somehow but the energy has to be brought in externally for it may not be made. Fusion is the hypothetical Holy Grail for the external energy would be inexhaustible. For example, as mentioned, in our sun the fuel is hydrogen. On Earth, 71% of the planet has hydrogen, in the form of water. According to modern statistics, one out of 6,500 atoms of hydrogen is deuterium. On that statistic alone, a gallon of pure water can yield enough fuel to rival 300 gallons of liquefied petroleum gas. But the great thing about nuclear fusion is the helium nucleus that is the product is not at all radioactive which is amazing for the name is nuclear fusion. But if environmentalist is not on the list for future career choices, learn this, the electricity will theoretically cost the same or less for there is no end to the “barrel of energy.”  In all, as civilizations have progressed throughout the ages of man, one dependency has remained, fuel. Through various great thinkers, fossil fuels have been used such as coal, oil, and such, renewable sources have been used such like solar power, wind, geothermal, and others, and nuclear fusion has been sought out to power the future. Nuclear fusion has certain advantages over traditional fuel sources for it is clean, there is no limit, and it is cheap. Nuclear fusion is the future, there is no denying it. So to quote the former Beatle John Lennon, “it’s gonna be alright.” Citations: Conservation of Energy." Conservation of Energy. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Dec. 2012. General Atomics Fusion Education." General Atomics Fusion Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Dec. 2012.