Answer
It would take a higher temperature to fuse two carbon-12 nuclei compared to fusing two protons.
The process of fusion involves bringing together atomic nuclei, which have a positive charge and therefore repel each other. To overcome this repulsion, a high temperature is required to provide enough kinetic energy to the nuclei for them to overcome the Coulomb barrier and come close enough for the strong nuclear force to bind them together.
The temperature required for fusion depends on the specific nuclei involved and their properties. In the case of fusing two protons, the resulting nucleus would be a deuteron, which has a lower mass than a carbon-12 nucleus. As a result, the kinetic energy required to bring two protons close enough for fusion is lower than the energy required to bring two carbon-12 nuclei close enough for fusion.
In fact, the fusion of two protons can occur at relatively low temperatures, around 10 million degrees Celsius, as is the case in the core of the Sun. However, the fusion of carbon-12 nuclei requires temperatures on the order of a billion degrees Celsius, as is the case in the cores of massive stars.
In summary, the temperature required for fusion depends on the properties of the nuclei involved, and in general, it would take a higher temperature to fuse two carbon-12 nuclei compared to fusing two protons.
Work Step by Step
It would take a higher temperature to fuse two carbon-12 nuclei compared to fusing two protons.
The process of fusion involves bringing together atomic nuclei, which have a positive charge and therefore repel each other. To overcome this repulsion, a high temperature is required to provide enough kinetic energy to the nuclei for them to overcome the Coulomb barrier and come close enough for the strong nuclear force to bind them together.
The temperature required for fusion depends on the specific nuclei involved and their properties. In the case of fusing two protons, the resulting nucleus would be a deuteron, which has a lower mass than a carbon-12 nucleus. As a result, the kinetic energy required to bring two protons close enough for fusion is lower than the energy required to bring two carbon-12 nuclei close enough for fusion.
In fact, the fusion of two protons can occur at relatively low temperatures, around 10 million degrees Celsius, as is the case in the core of the Sun. However, the fusion of carbon-12 nuclei requires temperatures on the order of a billion degrees Celsius, as is the case in the cores of massive stars.
In summary, the temperature required for fusion depends on the properties of the nuclei involved, and in general, it would take a higher temperature to fuse two carbon-12 nuclei compared to fusing two protons.
