Nuclear energy is the power drive of the universe. The energy released comes from mass deficiency when two light elements fuses together to a heavier element with more binding energy, or when a heavy element splits up into two elements with more binding energy. The binding energy is the force that holds the nucleus, consisting of protons and neutrons, together. With chemical energy a fuel is burned to form molecules where the atoms are more attracted to each other. So both energy releasing systems are comparable. With nuclear energy it is the strong force interacting and the energy released is therefore tremendously higher. To calculate the mass of an atom we count the number of neutrons N and the number of protons Z. If we measure the weight of the atom we can calculate the binding energy. For example we calculate the binding energy of helium.
= 
-
: mass deficiency in u
: proton mass = 1,007276467u
: electron mass = 0,00054858u
: neutron mass = 1,008664916u
: atom mass, 
= 4,0026022u
:
=
Einstein's formula E=mc² gives us the binding energy derived from the mass deficiency.
: binding energy in joule (1ev = 
Joule)
: mass deficiency in kilogram (1u=1kg/1000.
)
: Avogadro number = 6,022141793.
particles per mol
c: the speed of light 299 792 458 meters per second
:
:
. 299 792 458² = 4,53363 .
Joule
: 
= 28,297MeV
With the same method we can calculate the binding energy for other atoms. The energy released from a fusion reaction is determined from the difference in binding energy. For example we calculate the energy released from a deuterium tritium reaction.
28,297MeV
2,225 MeV 
8,482MeV 
17,59 MeV
reactiesnelheid
nadat we de reactie energie berekend hebben, kunnen we de reactiesnelheid berekenen
