Nuclear Fusion - Joining Small Nuclei Flashcards
1
Q
What is nuclear fusion the opposite of?
A
Nuclear fission
2
Q
What happens in nuclear fusion?
A
Two light nuclei collide at high speed and join to create a larger, heavier nucleus
3
Q
What is some of the mass of the light nuclei converted to and what is this released as?
A
Energy, which is then released as radiation
4
Q
What does fusion release a lot of?
A
Energy
5
Q
What is the big problem?
A
Fusion only happens at really high temperatures and pressures
6
Q
Why is this a big problem?
A
Because the positively charged nuclei have to get very close to fuse, so they need to be moving very fast to overcome the strong force due to electrostatic repulsion
7
Q
Why are fusion reactors really hard and expensive to build?
A
Temperatures and pressures need for fusion are so high
