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Physics

GCSE · Edexcel

QuestionsFlashcards

Expressing Quantities & SI Units
- Units & Prefixes
  6
- Conversions & Standard Form
  6

The Conditions for Fusion Flashcards

All 6 cards in this deck

Why does nuclear fusion not happen at low temperatures and pressures?: Nuclei are positively charged, so electrostatic repulsion pushes them apart before they can join.
What conditions are needed for nuclear fusion to occur?: Extremely high temperature and extremely high pressure.
Why is a very high temperature needed for fusion?: It gives the nuclei enough energy (high speed) to overcome the electrostatic repulsion between them.
Why is a very high pressure needed for fusion?: It forces the nuclei close together so that collisions are frequent enough for them to fuse.
Why is it difficult to build a practical, economic fusion power station?: The extremely high temperatures and pressures are very hard and expensive to produce and contain, so at present more energy is put in than is got out.
True or false? The repulsion that must be overcome in fusion is between the protons in the nuclei.: True. Both nuclei are positively charged, so they repel each other electrostatically.