Topicm29050f7dd464eea8_1528449000663_0Topic

Thermonuclear reactions

Levelm29050f7dd464eea8_1528449084556_0Level

Third

Core curriculumm29050f7dd464eea8_1528449076687_0Core curriculum

XI. Nuclear physics. The student:

11) describes the thermonuclear reactionthermonuclear reactionthermonuclear reaction of hydrogen transformation into helium occurring in the stars.

Timingm29050f7dd464eea8_1528449068082_0Timing

45 minutes

General learning objectivesm29050f7dd464eea8_1528449523725_0General learning objectives

Describes the thermonuclear reactionthermonuclear reactionthermonuclear reaction of hydrogen transformation into helium.

Key competencesm29050f7dd464eea8_1528449552113_0Key competences

1. Explains what the differences between nuclear fissionnuclear fissionnuclear fission and nuclear fusionnuclear fusionnuclear fusion are.

2. Describes the necessary conditions required for nuclear fusion to occur.

3. Describes the characteristics of the deuterium‑tritium fusion.

Operational (detailed) goalsm29050f7dd464eea8_1528450430307_0Operational (detailed) goals

The student:

- explains what nuclear fusion is,

- describes the process of the deuterium‑tritium fusiondeuterium‑tritium fusiondeuterium‑tritium fusion.

Methodsm29050f7dd464eea8_1528449534267_0Methods

1. Discussion.

2. Text analysis.

Forms of workm29050f7dd464eea8_1528449514617_0Forms of work

1. Individual work.

2. Group work.

Lesson stages

Introductionm29050f7dd464eea8_1528450127855_0Introduction

The teacher asks students to remind how the binding energy per nucleon depends on the mass number and what its meaning is.

Describe the dependence of binding energy per nucleon on the mass number.

Procedurem29050f7dd464eea8_1528446435040_0Procedure

The teacher discusses with the students the characteristics of nuclear fusionnuclear fusionnuclear fusion.

Next to the process of nuclear fissionnuclear fissionnuclear fission, combining two light nuclei into one heavier one can also be a source of energy. Such a process is known as nuclear fusion.

The following graphs show the binding energy per nucleon for various elements. Iron has a mass number of 56 and is one of the most stable of all the elements. Elements with lower and higher mass numbers are less stable.

For elements heavier than iron the fission process dominates while for elements lighter the iron the fusion occurs.

[Illustration 1]

Nuclear fusion

Nuclear fusion is a type of nuclear reaction where two light nuclei collide together to form a single, heavier nucleus. This nucleus is unstable and decay into more stable daughter products. In this process, according to the principle of mass‑energy equivalence the energy is released because the mass of the new nucleus is less than the sum of the colliding masses.m29050f7dd464eea8_1527752256679_0Nuclear fusion is a type of nuclear reaction where two light nuclei collide together to form a single, heavier nucleus. This nucleus is unstable and decay into more stable daughter products. In this process, according to the principle of mass‑energy equivalence the energy is released because the mass of the new nucleus is less than the sum of the colliding masses.

Some possible fusion reactions:

D+TH4e+n+17,58MeV
D+DH3e+n+3,27MeV
D+DT+p+4,03MeV
D+H3eH4e+p+18,35MeV
p+B113H4e+8,7MeV

Deuterium‑tritium fusion: Reaction is the one that occurs between a deuterium and a tritium nucleus:

D+TH4e+n+17,58MeV

In the fusion process a helium nucleus (alpha particle) and a neutron are produced. The total mass of the products is lower than that of the colliding particles, and energy is released according to the mass‑energy equivalence principleequivalence principleequivalence principle.

It is nuclear reaction that takes place in the Sun and in other stars.

[Interactive graphics]

The students calculate the released energy in the deuterium‑tritium fusiondeuterium‑tritium fusiondeuterium‑tritium fusion.

Task 1

Calculate the energy released in the deuterium‑tritium fusiondeuterium‑tritium fusiondeuterium‑tritium fusion. The deuterium mass is 3,34449 ∙ 10Indeks górny -27kg, tritium 5,00826 ∙ 10Indeks górny -27 kg, helium 6,64648 ∙ 10Indeks górny -27 kg, and the mass of neutron is 1,67493 ∙ 10Indeks górny -27 kg. Use exact values of the speed of light c = 299792458 ms. The relation between electronovolt and joule is following: 1 eV = 1,6021766208 ∙ 10Indeks górny -19 J. Compare your result with the information you have already read.

The teacher discusses with the students what conditions are required to conduct the nuclear fusionnuclear fusionnuclear fusion.

Condition for fusion to occur:
An interaction between two nuclei can occur if they are at the distance of order of 10
Then the nuclear forces are stronger than the electrostatic repulsion due to the positive charge of the nuclei. (The repulsion is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the nuclei).
To get the two nuclei close together within a sufficiently short distance, their kinetic energy, hence the temperature has to be extremely high. In the high temperature the atoms ionize completely and are in the plasma state. Plasma is electrically conductive and its motion can be influenced by electric and magnetic fields.
In laboratory conditions the deuterium‑tritium sample must be heated to very high temperature, similar to this on the Sun, of 10Indeks górny 7 K. The sample should be also confine for a sufficiently long time to produce as many collisions as possible and increase the probability of generating fusion reactions.
During the deuterium‑tritium fusion to form 1 kg helium, energy of about 120 million kWh is released, what corresponds to the energy which could be obtained from 12 million kilograms of coal).
Many years of attempts to obtain a reasonable energy balance of thermonuclear fusion failed. So far nobody managed to produce more energy than the one that needed to be delivered in order to sustain the course of the reaction.
m29050f7dd464eea8_1527752263647_0An interaction between two nuclei can occur if they are at the distance of order of 10
Then the nuclear forces are stronger than the electrostatic repulsion due to the positive charge of the nuclei. (The repulsion is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the nuclei).
To get the two nuclei close together within a sufficiently short distance, their kinetic energy, hence the temperature has to be extremely high. In the high temperature the atoms ionize completely and are in the plasma state. Plasma is electrically conductive and its motion can be influenced by electric and magnetic fields.
In laboratory conditions the deuterium‑tritium sample must be heated to very high temperature, similar to this on the Sun, of 10Indeks górny 7 K. The sample should be also confine for a sufficiently long time to produce as many collisions as possible and increase the probability of generating fusion reactions.
During the deuterium‑tritium fusion to form 1 kg helium, energy of about 120 million kWh is released, what corresponds to the energy which could be obtained from 12 million kilograms of coal).
Many years of attempts to obtain a reasonable energy balance of thermonuclear fusion failed. So far nobody managed to produce more energy than the one that needed to be delivered in order to sustain the course of the reaction.

Lesson summarym29050f7dd464eea8_1528450119332_0Lesson summary

Nuclear fusion is a reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei are combined to form one or more different atomic nucleus and subatomic particles.

Selected words and expressions used in the lesson plan

thermonuclear reactionthermonuclear reactionthermonuclear reaction

nuclear fissionnuclear fissionnuclear fission

nuclear fusionnuclear fusionnuclear fusion

deuterium‑tritium fusiondeuterium‑tritium fusiondeuterium‑tritium fusion

equivalence principleequivalence principleequivalence principle

interactioninteractioninteraction

forceforceforce

samplesamplesample

elementelementelement

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reakcja termojądrowa

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rozszczepienie jądrowe

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synteza jądrowa

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synteza jądrowa deuteru i trytu

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zasada równoważności

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oddziaływanie

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siła

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