Nuclear Fusion Energy Calculator Formula

Understand the math behind the nuclear fusion energy calculator. Each variable explained with a worked example.

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Formulas Used

Energy Released

energy = 0.007 * hydrogen_mass * pow(299792458, 2)

Energy (megatons TNT)

energy_megatons = 0.007 * hydrogen_mass * pow(299792458, 2) / 4.184e15

Variables

VariableDescriptionDefault
hydrogen_massHydrogen Mass(kg)1

How It Works

Stellar Nuclear Fusion Energy

In the pp-chain and CNO cycle, four hydrogen nuclei fuse into one helium nucleus. The mass difference (0.7%) is converted to energy via E = mc².

Formula

E = 0.007 × m × c²

where m is the hydrogen mass consumed and c = 299 792 458 m/s.

The Sun converts about 600 million tonnes of hydrogen per second, releasing 3.8 × 10²⁶ W.

Worked Example

Energy from fusing 1 kg of hydrogen.

hydrogen_mass = 1
  1. 01E = 0.007 × 1 × (2.998e8)²
  2. 02= 0.007 × 8.988e16
  3. 03= 6.291e14 J
  4. 04≈ 150 kilotons of TNT equivalent.

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