The sun releases more energy

太陽會釋放更多的能量

in just 1.5 millionth of a second

毫釐之差

than we humans on planet Earth consume in a year.

比我們地球上的人類一年消耗的還要多。

That's a lot of power.

這是一個很大的權力。

Which is why solar will likely play a huge role

這就是為什麼太陽能將可能發揮巨大作用的原因。

in our quest for a cleaner, more secure energy future.

追求更清潔、更安全的能源未來。

The sun generates all of this energy

這些能量都是太陽產生的

through a process called fusion.

通過一個叫做融合的過程。

But what exactly is fusion,

但到底什麼是融合。

and how does the sun generate so much energy?

太陽又是如何產生這麼多能量的呢？

The sun is a massive nuclear powerhouse

太陽是一個巨大的核動力源

that can raise temperatures in the Australian Outback

導致澳洲內陸地區氣溫升高的原因

to an incredible 50.7 degrees Celsius.

到令人難以置信的50.7攝氏度。

That intense energy is perfect for fueling race cars

這種強烈的能量是賽車的最佳燃料。

competing in the World Solar Challenge.

參加世界太陽能挑戰賽。

DEREK: I am in the middle of the Australian Outback.

我在澳洲內陸的中間。

As you can see,

如你所見。

this is a very inhospitable environment.

這是一個非常不友好的環境。

You know, it's funny being out here,

你知道，在這裡很有趣。

you feel the power of the sun.

你感受到了太陽的力量。

It gets so stinking hot.

它變得如此臭熱。

And of course, it is that very energy

當然，正是這種能量

which is propelling these cars down the road

推動著這些車在路上行駛

at incredible speeds.

以不可思議的速度。

And in the World Solar Challenge,

而在世界太陽能挑戰賽中。

cars from over 20 countries

20多個國家的汽車

have to power across the whole continent,

得權力整個大陸。

going 3,000 kilometers, over 1,800 miles,

去3000公里，1800多英里。

to claim the title

稱霸

of world's fastest solar vehicle.

世界上最快的太陽能汽車的。

MAREN: Incredibly, the power source

不可思議的是，動力源是什麼？

that makes all of this possible

成也蕭何，敗也蕭何

is 150 million kilometers away

是1.5億公里之外

and involves subatomic particles.

並涉及亞原子粒子。

You may know that atoms, which make up all matter,

你可能知道，原子，是構成一切物質的。

have a nucleus at the center

居中

made up of protons and neutrons,

由質子和中子組成。

with electrons zipping around the nucleus in a small cloud.

與電子繞著核在小云中飛馳。

Fusion happens when two atomic nuclei

核聚變發生在兩個原子核之間

are forced together

糾纏不清

in extremely high-energy conditions.

在極高能量的條件下。

Now, keep in mind,

現在，請記住：

this is different from what happens

此消彼長

when atoms link together using their electrons,

當原子利用其電子連接在一起時。

like when two hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom

就像兩個氫原子和一個氧原子一樣。

come together to form water.

匯聚成水。

That's called bonding.

這就是所謂的結合。

But in fusion,

但在融合。

the nuclei of the atoms themselves

原子核

need to smash together to form a single nucleus,

需要砸在一起形成一個單核。

and this process releases massive amounts of energy.

而這個過程會釋放出大量的能量。

Okay, so, now that we've got our heads wrapped around

好了，所以，現在我們已經得到了我們的頭周圍的包絡

the very basics of how fusion works,

融合工作的基礎知識。

let's take a look at how it happens in the sun.

讓我們來看看它是如何在陽光下發生的。

First off, it takes a lot of energy

首先，它需要大量的精力

to force the nuclei to come together

逼迫核聚攏。

in the first place,

首先是。

because protons, all with the same positive charge,

因為質子，都帶有相同的正電荷。

repel each other.

相互排斥。

You know, like magnets.

你知道，像磁鐵。

You may recall that principle

你可能還記得這一原則

that like charges repel

拒人千里

while opposite charges attract.

而相反的電荷則吸引。

However, the sun is so massive,

然而，太陽是如此巨大。

roughly 1.392 million kilometers in diameter,

大概直徑為139.2萬公里。

that it has an insane amount of gravity,

它有一個瘋狂的量的重力。

meaning there's an incredible amount of pressure

意味著有很大的壓力

exerted on all those hydrogen atoms

在所有這些氫原子上施加壓力

that make up the sun.

組成太陽的。

Now, solar fusion happens inside the sun's core,

現在，太陽核聚變發生在太陽的核心內。

where the pressure is so intense

壓力山大

and the density is so great

而密度是如此之大

that those like-charged protons

那些帶同樣電荷的質子

of those hydrogen nuclei

氫核的

smash together to form helium.

砸在一起形成氦氣。

If we want to break things down

如果我們想把事情細分

in even greater detail, which we do,

更加詳細，我們也是這樣做的。

we'll have to talk about something

有話好好說

called the proton-proton cycle.

稱為質子-質子循環。

The energy radiated by the sun

太陽輻射的能量

is really the result of a series

其實是一系列的結果

of thermonuclear reactions.

的熱核反應。

The first step in the reaction...

反應的第一步...

two hydrogen nuclei collide

雙氫核對撞

to produce what's called deuterium,

以產生所謂的氘。

a hydrogen nucleus

氫核

with one proton and one neutron.

有一個質子和一箇中子。

See, most hydrogen atoms have only one proton

你看，大多數氫原子只有一個質子。

and no neutrons.

而沒有中子。

Next, a third hydrogen proton

接下來，第三個氫質子

smashes into the deuterium nucleus

撞擊氘核

to make a tritium nucleus, or a triton,

以使氚核，或氚子。

a nucleus with one proton and two neutrons.

一個質子和兩個中子的原子核。

When two of these tritium nuclei fuse together,

當其中兩個氚核融合在一起時。

they form a helium-4 nucleus

它們形成了一個氦-4核。

with two protons and two neutrons.

有兩個質子和兩個中子。

This fusion also releases two protons,

這種聚變也會釋放出兩個質子。

allowing the cycle to continue.

使得這個循環得以繼續。

Two hydrogen protons collide,

兩個氫質子相撞。

a third hydrogen proton joins the party,

第三個氫質子加入了黨。

two of these tritium nuclei fuse together,

其中兩個氚核融合在一起。

two protons are released.

兩個質子被釋放出來。

Repeat, and repeat, and repeat

重複，再重複，再重複

until the sun runs out of hydrogen.

直到太陽耗盡氫氣。

Got it? Great.

明白了嗎？好吧

It is a complicated process.

這是一個複雜的過程。

After all, it's literally thermonuclear physics.

畢竟，這是字面上的熱核物理學。

So, if you want to go and run that animation back,

所以，如果你想去運行那個動畫回來。

go ahead and rewatch

繼續重看

that proton-proton cycle animation.

質子 - 質子循環動畫。

Now, you may be asking,

現在，你可能會問。

how much energy does this process generate?

這個過程會產生多少能量？

Well, scientists have calculated

科學家已經計算出

that at any given moment,

那在任何時刻。

the sun releases

日出

an estimated 384 yotta watts of energy.

估計384瓦特的能量。

Never heard of a yotta watt before?

沒聽說過約塔瓦特？

Because me neither.

因為我也沒有。

But using scientific notation,

但使用科學的符號。

that's 3.84 times 10 to the 26th power.

那是10的3.84倍，是26次冪。

So, 384 with 24 zeros behind it.

所以，384後面有24個零。

We barely have enough screen

我們幾乎沒有足夠的螢幕

to actually show all of those zeros.

來實際顯示所有這些零。

Saying that's a "yotta" power

說這是一種 "yotta "的力量。

would be a gross understatement

言過其實

and a groanable pun.

和一個可以呻吟的雙關語。

And because nuclear fusion doesn't produce unstable,

而且因為核聚變不會產生不穩定。

long-lived radioactive waste like nuclear fission does,

像核裂變那樣的長壽命放射性廢物。

that's the splitting of an atom,

那是原子的分裂。

instead, fusion results in a stable,

相反，融合的結果是穩定的。

non-radioactive by-product of helium.

氦的非放射性副產品；

So, scientists are exploring

所以，科學家們正在探索

how to develop this as a viable energy source.

如何將其發展為一種可行的能源；

But as many of our secret viewers have noted,

但正如很多暗訪者所指出的那樣。

fusion technology always feels like

融合技術總是讓人覺得

it's just a few decades away.

這只是幾十年後的事。

Now, while most of the sun's energy

現在，雖然太陽的大部分能量

is scattered across our solar system,

是散佈在太陽系中的。

researchers have estimated that 430 quintillion joules

據研究人員估計，430季焦耳

of the sun's energy

輻射

hits the surface of the Earth

撞擊地球表面

roughly every hour, or hour-and-a-half.

大概每隔一個小時，或者一個半小時。

With current estimates

根據目前的估計

of total world energy consumption

佔世界能源消費總量的百分比

at 580 million terajoules annually,

每年5.8億太焦耳。

that means, theoretically,

也就是說，從理論上講，

if we could effectively harness all of the sun's energy

如果我們能有效地利用太陽的全部能量的話

that hits Earth for just two hours,

撞擊地球僅兩小時。

we could power our entire planet

我們可以為整個地球供電

for more than a year.

一年多來，。

Clearly, this isn't a reality, at least not anytime soon,

顯然，這不是一個現實，至少不是很快。

but solar energy is helping power a worldwide shift

但太陽能正在幫助推動世界性的轉變

to cleaner, more sustainable energy.

到更清潔、更可持續的能源。

And there have been some

而且有一些

incredible innovations in recent years

驚人的創新

as the technology has become more and more efficient.

隨著技術越來越高效。

So, next up, we take a closer look at solar panels

那麼，接下來我們就來仔細瞭解一下太陽能電池板吧

and break down the technology

並對技術進行分解

that powers our homes and cities,

為我們的家園和城市提供動力。

and can transform sunlight into horsepower.

並能將陽光轉化為馬力。