Nuclear Fusion

Question 1

What is nuclear fusion?

Answer 1

The joining of small atomic nuclei to create a larger nucleus

Question 2

Fusion release a lot of energy (more/less than fission for given mass) - all the energy released in [ ] comes from fusion. So people are trying to develop [ ] to generate electricity.

Answer 2

More
Starts
Fusion reactors

Question 3

What are the advantages of fusion?

Answer 3

Doesn’t leave behind radioactive waste like fission and there’s plenty of hydrogen available to use as fuel.

Question 4

What is a problem with fusion?

Answer 4

The big problem is that fusion can only only happen at really high temperatures - about 10,000,000°C
You can’t hold the hydrogen at the high temperatures and pressures required for fusion in an ordinary container - you need an extremely strong magnetic field.

Question 5

What progress has been made with making reactors?

Answer 5

There are a few experimental reactors, but none are generating electricity. At the moment, it takes more power to get up to temperature than the reactor can produce.