Helion Energy
Okay kiddo, let me try to explain what Helion Energy is all about in a simple way. You know that stars like the sun are really, really hot, right? They create heat and light by nuclear fusion, which is when atomic particles combine to form a new type of particle.
Now, scientists at Helion Energy are working on a way to create nuclear fusion here on Earth, because it has the potential to be a clean and practically limitless source of energy. They use a machine called a fusion reactor, which is kind of like a really, really fancy water boiler.
But making nuclear fusion happen on Earth is hard. To make it work, we need to heat up tiny particles of hydrogen gas until they become plasma, which is like a super-hot soup made of electrically charged particles. Then, we need to squeeze the plasma really hard to make the atomic particles combine, just like in the sun.
Helion Energy's scientists have come up with a clever way to do this. They use magnets to create a magnetic field that can hold the plasma in place, and they shoot powerful lasers at the plasma to make it even hotter. The lasers also create shockwaves that compress the plasma, making it denser and increasing the chances that the particles will fuse.
It's like if you were trying to pop a balloon with a needle. If the balloon is not inflated enough, the needle won't do anything. But if you blow the balloon up really big, it will be easier to pop with the needle. That's kind of what Helion Energy is doing with their fusion reactor, but on a much bigger scale.
So, there you have it, little one - Helion Energy is working on a way to create energy by replicating the process that happens in the sun, using a special machine called a fusion reactor that uses magnets and lasers to heat up and squeeze hydrogen gas until it becomes plasma and the atomic particles combine. Exciting stuff, right?
Now, scientists at Helion Energy are working on a way to create nuclear fusion here on Earth, because it has the potential to be a clean and practically limitless source of energy. They use a machine called a fusion reactor, which is kind of like a really, really fancy water boiler.
But making nuclear fusion happen on Earth is hard. To make it work, we need to heat up tiny particles of hydrogen gas until they become plasma, which is like a super-hot soup made of electrically charged particles. Then, we need to squeeze the plasma really hard to make the atomic particles combine, just like in the sun.
Helion Energy's scientists have come up with a clever way to do this. They use magnets to create a magnetic field that can hold the plasma in place, and they shoot powerful lasers at the plasma to make it even hotter. The lasers also create shockwaves that compress the plasma, making it denser and increasing the chances that the particles will fuse.
It's like if you were trying to pop a balloon with a needle. If the balloon is not inflated enough, the needle won't do anything. But if you blow the balloon up really big, it will be easier to pop with the needle. That's kind of what Helion Energy is doing with their fusion reactor, but on a much bigger scale.
So, there you have it, little one - Helion Energy is working on a way to create energy by replicating the process that happens in the sun, using a special machine called a fusion reactor that uses magnets and lasers to heat up and squeeze hydrogen gas until it becomes plasma and the atomic particles combine. Exciting stuff, right?