ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

ARC fusion reactor

Ok kiddo, so have you ever heard of a fusion reactor? It's like a really big machine that uses something called nuclear fusion to create energy. This energy can be used to power electricity for homes, cars, and lots of other things.

An arc fusion reactor is a special kind of fusion reactor that uses something called an electric arc to create the fusion. An electric arc is like a really big spark of electricity. Scientists and engineers use the electric arc to heat up the fuel that goes into the reactor, so that it turns into plasma.

Now, what's plasma? Plasma is like a fourth state of matter (after solid, liquid, and gas) and it's made up of really, really hot particles that are moving really, really fast. They're so fast that they're bouncing around and colliding with each other, and when they do that, they release energy.

So, when you heat the fuel up in a fusion reactor using an electric arc and it turns into plasma, you're basically creating a really hot and energetic environment where the particles can collide and release energy. That energy is what we use to create electricity.

Overall, arc fusion reactors are really cool because they're a clean and green way to create energy. They don't rely on things like coal or oil, which can be bad for the environment, and they don't create any harmful waste. They're still in development right now, but who knows - maybe one day we'll all be using arc fusion reactors to power our world!