So helium is a limited resource. Okay gotcha. So why not take two hydrogen atoms. Take their protons and neutrons. And just fucking start squeezing them together until you get helium?

And I don’t mean in the same way you get H2. Those are still separate from each other.

  • tate@lemmy.sdf.org
    0·
    4 months ago

    I can tell you know this, I’m just tacking it on for those who don’t:

    Why do the nuclei stick together at all, once you’ve pushed them together? Because the nuclear force, which is attractive instead of repulsive, is just a little bit stronger. OK, so why then doesn’t the nuclear force just pull all atoms together? Because it is short range, and only works once the nuclei are “touching.”