Nuclear fusion reactions power stars and are being developed as a clean energy source on Earth.
Complete the following sentences.
In an experimental fusion reactor using inertial confinement, a high-power laser system is used to heat a small pellet containing 8.5 mg of a deuterium-tritium fuel mixture.
To initiate fusion, the temperature of the fuel pellet must be increased by 1.5×108 ∘C1.5 \times 10^8\text{ }^{\circ}\text{C}1.5×108 ∘C.
Calculate the thermal energy required to raise the temperature of the 8.5 mg fuel pellet by 1.5×108 ∘C1.5 \times 10^8\text{ }^{\circ}\text{C}1.5×108 ∘C.
Before constructing full-scale commercial fusion power stations, international collaborations have built smaller experimental reactors (such as JET and ITER).
Suggest two reasons why these smaller prototype reactors are built and tested first.
Explain one environmental advantage of generating electricity using nuclear fusion rather than burning oil in a conventional power station.
Practise AQA GCSE Physics Nuclear fission and fusion (physics only) with exam-style questions for Foundation and Higher tier. 10 questions covering Nuclear fission and Nuclear fusion, matched to the AQA GCSE Physics (8463) specification and written in Paper 1 and Paper 2 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.