Under certain conditions, nuclei can undergo nuclear reactions to release energy.
Explain what is meant by nuclear fusion.
State one advantage and one disadvantage of generating electrical power in nuclear fission power stations compared with solar power systems.
Deuterium is an isotope of hydrogen (H\text{H}H) with 1 proton and 1 neutron. Tritium is another isotope of hydrogen with 1 proton and 2 neutrons. Nuclear fusion occurs when a nucleus of deuterium and a nucleus of tritium combine at extremely high temperatures. This reaction forms an isotope of helium (He\text{He}He) with 2 protons and 2 neutrons, and releases a single neutron.
Use nuclide notation to write down the balanced equation for this nuclear reaction.
284 exam-style questions on CIE IGCSE Physics 5.1 The nuclear model of the atom, covering 5.1.1a Structure of the atom and ions, 5.1.1b Alpha-particle scattering, 5.1.2a Composition of the nucleus and isotopes, 5.1.2b Proton number, nucleon number and nuclide notation, and 5.1.2c Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.