Another aspect that is debated amongst scientist is whether or not cold fusion is theoretically probable."The 'cold fusion' phenomenon, in which the law of conservation of energy is apparently violated when electricity and heat are applied to special systems involving hydrogen isotopes (in water or gaseous form) and particular metals (notably palladium and nickel), defies conventional scientific explanation. All new theories explaining 'cold fusion' effects require large revisions in existing physical theories (one might call them 'miracles'). Scientific skepticism requires that unless the experimental evidence justifies belief in these miracles, we must conclude that experimental errors are being misinterpreted as positive results.”(Heeter)
Cold fusionists claim that they are able to make fusion happen at room temperature. Fusion occurs when two nuclei of atoms are rammed together and combined to make larger nuclei.
Hot fusion is readily observed in the sun. The gravitational forces in the sun push the nuclei close enough together that they fuse. On earth we can not replicate that gravitational force.
The most wildly accepted way to get nuclei close enough to each other to combine is to basically get them all moving at great speeds via a high temperature and then ram them with other nuclei. The theory being that this kinetic energy will overcome the electrostatic repulsion and allow the nuclei to fuse.
With cold fusion the energy seems to just magically appears, and the scientists don’t know where the energy comes from. While they claim that it is the results of a nuclear reaction, substantial proof of this has not been found. More than likely the results are from experimental error.
Cold fusionist may be missing a small point that would explain the apparent mysteries of where the excess energy is coming from.
Since cold fusionists have not been able to constantly reproduce their effects the scientific community will not accept their findings or their theories.
Cold fusionists do not deny that their ideas go against current theory; they say there is a need for a new theory.
While several experiments have been done that did not show evidence for cold fusion, others have been done that verify it. Cold fusion is improbable in current theory, but possible. However, a major change in the theory would allow it to become more probably and explain the sporadic nature of the fuel.
Unless all of the data and the theory are presented together, the scientific community will not support the claims of cold fusion.
The energy associated with the cold fusion phenomenon is too great to be a chemical reaction. The only other known reaction that could be taking place would be a nuclear reaction, but the energies are only occurring at a low-energy level for nuclear fusion.
Cold fusion may be working due to the quantum physical theory that says every particle has a wave function. There is a small chance that when atoms are packed as closely, as they are in the fuels, that their associated wave functions may cross enabling cold fusion.
While the probability of this happening is almost nonexistent, nonetheless it is possible. In other words, quantum mechanics says that there is a chance that the nuclei could get close enough to each other to combine without any external energy input.
The question cold fusionists are asking now is whether there is a catalytic effect occurring that has never been observed before that is making the improbable event probable. The reason that they are asking questions like these is because of the fact that the amount of energy produced is greater than that predicted by quantum mechanics.
The quantum mechanical predictions would not allow as many reactions to occur that are needed to produce the amount of heat generated.
Another option that would entail a new theory is the chance that cold fusionists are observing a new phenomenon that has never been readily observed before.
If cold fusion was working off the principle of a never before recognized phenomenon, it would explain why no one is able to repeatedly produce reliable results.
Given enough time of observing a new phenomenon, scientists will learn how it is working and then be able to manipulate the experiment to prove that the concept exists if indeed it does.
Cold Fusion Main
Experimental Debate