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GS Paper 3
Topics Covered: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
Context:
Physicists in California, using lasers the size of three football fields, have generated a huge amount of energy from fusion.
- This offers hope for the development of a new clean energy source.
How was the experiment carried out and what were the results?
- Experts focused their giant array of almost 200 laser beams onto a tiny spot to create a mega blast of energy – eight times more than they had ever done in the past.
- Although the energy only lasted for a very short time – just 100 trillionths of a second – the scientists were able to create more energy than they are using.
In this experiment, scientists used two isotopes of hydrogen, giving rise to helium.
What is fusion? How is it different from fission?
- Nuclear fusion is considered by some scientists to be a potential energy of the future, particularly because it produces little waste and no greenhouse gases.
- It differs from fission, a technique currently used in nuclear power plants, where the bonds of heavy atomic nuclei are broken to release energy.
- In the fusion process, two light atomic nuclei are “married” to create a heavy one. This is the process that is at work in stars, including our Sun.
Insta Curious:
Do you know about Chinese ‘Artificial Sun’ Experimental Fusion Reactor? Reference
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- Nuclear fusion vs Fission.
- Byproducts of fusion and fission.
- About sun’s core.
- What is International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)?
Mains Link:
Describe the significance of artificial sun being developed by China.
Sources: Indian Express.
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