So every other kind of energy we can get is from splitting molecules (combustion) or splitting atoms (fission)
So how come we can get energy from fusing atoms together?
In: Physics
You know how some chemical reactions are endothermic and some are exothermic? You can burn gasoline and it releases lots of heat, but if you react vinegar with baking soda it gets cold.
It depends on how much energy is holding the reactants together, and how much energy is holding the products together. The difference is exchanged with the environment. You can’t really predict which way it will go unless you’re familiar with the particular reaction or you have knowledge of the energies involved.
It’s the same thing with atomic nuclei. They start small, and from there it’s energetically favorable for them to combine. By the time they get as big as iron, their size outweighs the short-range forces holding them together, and above that size it’s energetically favorable for them to split up.
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