3 ms·

So if the sunlit side is under higher pressure, how do the hydrogen atoms return to that side? I must still be missing something. Also, is there really enough

• gvb 16y ago
  > So if the sunlit side is under higher pressure, how do the hydrogen atoms return to that side? I must still be missing something. The article says it is compressed in order to move it back to the high pressure side. > Also, is there really enough hydrogen ionizing at 400C? I don't believe (traditional) ionization is occurring. My guess is that it works at the molecular level like reverse osmosis works with salt water to form fresh water. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_osmosis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_osmosis The dissociation of the hydrogen atoms into protons and electrons is through heat and pressure, facilitated by the semi-permeable membrane. Note that the membrane is key and is very unique. Johnson [...] proved he could make a ceramic membrane capable of withstanding temperatures above 400 degrees Celsius. A semi-permeable plastic membrane is non-trivial. A semi-permeable ceramic membrane that passes protons, strips electrons, and blocks hydrogen atoms while running at 400^C has to be really, really tough to do.