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
Combustion is the combination of oxygen with carbon or hydrogen. That is not splitting – splitting is usually a necessary step but the splitting *costs* energy.
This is generally true for chemistry. Splitting costs energy, combining releases it.
In the nucleus, there are two forces. One that pulls together, one that pushes apart. Whichever one is stronger (on average) can give us energy, but we have to defeat the weaker one first. In fission the stronger force is electrostatics – the pushing apart. In fusion the stronger force is the nuclear strong force – the pulling together.
Atoms in the middle experience the same strength from both, and so we can’t get energy from them at all.
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