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> is that magnets also attract each other. Electrons attract atomic nuclei (which is the part of the atom that fuses), normally they are too far away to matter
by ars 7y ago
> is that magnets also attract each other.
Electrons attract atomic nuclei (which is the part of the atom that fuses), normally they are too far away to matter, but if you replace them with muons (which are basically heavy electrons) then you can actually help the atoms come close enough because the muon attracts both.
Since the muon is heavier it orbits closer to the nucleus of the atom, which helps it cancel out the repelling force.
It's too bad muons cost too much energy to be useful this way, or we'd already have commercialized fusion.
- criddell 7y ago> Since the muon is heavier it orbits closer to the nucleus of the atom, which helps it cancel out the repelling force. Even this is hard for me to wrap my head around when I try to also remember that these particles are really just quantum field phenomena.
- ars 7y agoHeavier means a smaller (shorter) wavelength, bend that wavelength into a circle around the nucleus, and it's smaller, since the circle is smaller, it's closer.