Nuclear Fusion & Fission (Edexcel A Level Physics)

At the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE) experiments are carried out to investigate nuclear fusion and the properties of plasmas. A plasma consists of ionised gas, containing positive ions and electrons.

In a fusion experiment at CCFE, ions of two isotopes of hydrogen fuse to produce helium ions and fast-moving neutrons.

Show that a single fusion reaction releases about 3 × 10⁻¹² J of energy.

             
mass of = 2.013553 u

mass of = 3.015501 u

mass of = 4.001506 u

mass of = 1.008665 u

Fusion occurs naturally in the core of stars.

Explain why very high densities of matter and very high temperatures are needed to bring about and maintain nuclear fusion in stars.

In a plasma experiment 5.0 mg of deuterium, an isotope of hydrogen, occupies a volume of 98 m³. The temperature of deuterium is raised to 1.3 × 10⁸ K. In this experiment, the deuterium behaves as an ideal gas.

mass of deuterium ion = 3.3 × 10⁻²⁷ kg

(3)

Pressure = .............................................

(2)

Root mean square speed = ......................................

The Doppler shift observed when light is reflected by a deuterium ion is twice the Doppler shift that would be observed for a source of light moving at the same speed as the deuterium ion.

Calculate the maximum wavelength of light that would be detected after reflection from a deuterium ion moving at 1.5 × 10⁶ m s⁻¹.

wavelength of laser light = 1064 nm

(3)

Maximum wavelength detected = ..................................

The energy radiated by stars is released by nuclear fusion.

Explain the conditions required to bring about and maintain nuclear fusion in stars.