{"id":41344,"date":"2026-05-12T10:05:23","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T08:05:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/recursos-educativos\/fisica-reaccion-como-libera-energia-estrellas\/"},"modified":"2026-05-29T14:05:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T12:05:10","slug":"physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars","status":"publish","type":"re_recurso","link":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/","title":{"rendered":"The physics of the reaction: how is energy released by stars?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Nuclear fusion involves combining two light atomic nuclei to form a heavier one. But what exactly happens at the microscopic level to enable this process to release such an enormous amount of energy? The answer lies in the laws of physics and in the most famous equation in history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The main characters: Deuterium and Tritium<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"425\" height=\"302\" src=\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fusion_Nuclear.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-41032\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Although there are various possible fusion reactions (each requiring different temperature and density levels to be efficient), current scientific research focuses on the fusion of two isotopes of hydrogen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Deuterium (<sup>2<\/sup>H or D)<\/strong> has one proton and one neutron. It is very abundant and is extracted from water.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tritium (<sup>3<\/sup>H or T)<\/strong> has one proton and two neutrons. It is very rare in nature and is radioactive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When these two nuclei fuse, they transform into an <strong>alpha particle<\/strong> (a helium nucleus, consisting of two protons and two neutrons) and release a <strong>neutron<\/strong>, which is ejected at high speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The major hurdle: Overcoming repulsion and creating 'Plasma'<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Deuterium and tritium nuclei have a positive electric charge, so they naturally repel one another. To overcome this repulsive force and allow the nuclear force (which is attractive but has a very short range) to take effect, the nuclei must move at incredibly high speeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To achieve this, the gas must be heated to temperatures exceeding <strong>100 million degrees Celsiu<\/strong>s. At such extreme temperatures, matter changes state and becomes <strong>plasma<\/strong>: a supersonic \u2018soup\u2019 where atoms break apart, and electrons are no longer bound to their nuclei, moving freely. When they collide in this state, the nuclei overcome the electrical repulsion and fuse together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where does energy come from? Einstein\u2019s secret<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here comes the most surprising twist in physics. If you weigh the components before the reaction and compare them with the resulting helium and neutron, you\u2019ll find that the f<strong>inal product weighs slightly less<\/strong>. A small amount of mass has been \u2018lost\u2019 along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"477\" height=\"188\" src=\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Einstein_Formula_FINE.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-41034\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Applying Albert Einstein\u2019s famous equation, we find that this missing mass is directly converted into an enormous amount of energy: <strong>17.6 MeV (megaelectronvolts) for every single reaction! <\/strong>Although the energy required to keep the reactor running must be subtracted from this figure, the net difference is enormous, making fusion one of humanity\u2019s most promising energy projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019d like to find out more about nuclear fusion, don\u2019t miss the following articles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#x1f310;<a href=\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/what-is-nuclear-fusion-engine-powers-stars\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>What is nuclear fusion?: <\/strong><\/a>The starting point: the difference between nuclear fusion and fission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#x1f30a; <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/fusion-fuel-sea-water-lithium-energy-hidden-glass-water\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fuel: Sea water and lithium: <\/a><\/strong>Discover why the secret to fusion lies in sea water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#x1f504; The tritium cycle: How do reactors plan to produce their own fuel?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#x1f9f2; <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/technology-confinement-nuclear-fusion-giant-magnets-lasers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Technology and confinement: <\/a><\/strong>Giant magnets and lasers: how we control plasma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#x2696;&#xfe0f; Advantages and challenges: Is it really safe? The pros and cons of the energy of the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#x1f5d3;&#xfe0f; When will fusion be ready?: The timeline for humanity\u2019s greatest energy promise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#x1f30d; The current state of fusion: From ITER to private companies: this is the global scientific race.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nuclear fusion involves combining two light atomic nuclei to form a heavier one. But what exactly happens at the microscopic level to enable this process to release such an enormous amount of energy? The answer lies in the laws of physics and in the most famous equation in history.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1088,"featured_media":41033,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[8966],"edad":[7139,7161,7137,7140],"recursos_tipo":[7270],"recursos_tema":[7167,7143],"clasificacion_anterior":[],"class_list":["post-41344","re_recurso","type-re_recurso","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-nuclear-fusion","edad-mas-16-en","edad-06-12-years-old","edad-de-12-a-16-en","edad-todas-las-edades-en","recursos_tipo-theory","recursos_tema-nuclear-en-fission-en","recursos_tema-energia-nuclear-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The physics of the reaction: how is energy released by stars? - Rinc\u00f3n educativo<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The physics of the reaction: how is energy released by stars? - Rinc\u00f3n educativo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Nuclear fusion involves combining two light atomic nuclei to form a heavier one. But what exactly happens at the microscopic level to enable this process to release such an enormous amount of energy? The answer lies in the laws of physics and in the most famous equation in history.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Rinc\u00f3n educativo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-29T12:05:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fusion_Nuclear.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"425\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"302\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/\",\"name\":\"The physics of the reaction: how is energy released by stars? - Rinc\u00f3n educativo\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/es\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fusion_Nuclear.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-12T08:05:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-29T12:05:10+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fusion_Nuclear.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fusion_Nuclear.png\",\"width\":425,\"height\":302},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Portada\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Recursos educativos\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/es\/recursos-educativos\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"The physics of the reaction: how is energy released by stars?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/es\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/es\/\",\"name\":\"Rinc\u00f3n educativo\",\"description\":\"Un proyecto del Foro Nuclear\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/es\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The physics of the reaction: how is energy released by stars? - Rinc\u00f3n educativo","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The physics of the reaction: how is energy released by stars? - Rinc\u00f3n educativo","og_description":"Nuclear fusion involves combining two light atomic nuclei to form a heavier one. But what exactly happens at the microscopic level to enable this process to release such an enormous amount of energy? The answer lies in the laws of physics and in the most famous equation in history.","og_url":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/","og_site_name":"Rinc\u00f3n educativo","article_modified_time":"2026-05-29T12:05:10+00:00","og_image":[{"width":425,"height":302,"url":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fusion_Nuclear.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/","url":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/","name":"The physics of the reaction: how is energy released by stars? - Rinc\u00f3n educativo","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/es\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fusion_Nuclear.png","datePublished":"2026-05-12T08:05:23+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-29T12:05:10+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fusion_Nuclear.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fusion_Nuclear.png","width":425,"height":302},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/physics-reaction-how-energy-released-stars\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Portada","item":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Recursos educativos","item":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/es\/recursos-educativos\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"The physics of the reaction: how is energy released by stars?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/es\/#website","url":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/es\/","name":"Rinc\u00f3n educativo","description":"Un proyecto del Foro Nuclear","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/es\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/re_recurso\/41344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/re_recurso"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/re_recurso"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1088"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/re_recurso\/41344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41366,"href":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/re_recurso\/41344\/revisions\/41366"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41344"},{"taxonomy":"edad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/edad?post=41344"},{"taxonomy":"recursos_tipo","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/recursos_tipo?post=41344"},{"taxonomy":"recursos_tema","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/recursos_tema?post=41344"},{"taxonomy":"clasificacion_anterior","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/clasificacion_anterior?post=41344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}