Edexcel GCSE Physics 1PH0
Key Concepts of Physics
Motion and Forces
Conservation of Energy
Waves
Light and the Electromagnetic Spectrum
Radioactivity
Astronomy
Energy – Forces Doing Work
Forces and Their Effects
Electricity and Circuits
Static Electricity
Magnetism and the Motor Effect
Electromagnetic Induction
Particle Model
Forces and Matter
Radioactivity
Why fusion needs extreme conditions
- 1 thing to know
- Paper 1
Overview
Electrostatic repulsion between nuclei, why high temperature and pressure let them fuse, conditions in the Sun's core, and why a fusion reactor on Earth is so hard to build and run.
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Questions from this subtopic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
Why do two nuclei repel one another as they approach?
Model answer
Both are positively charged, so there is an electrostatic force of repulsion between them.
- 2
Why does nuclear fusion not happen at everyday temperatures?
Model answer
The nuclei move too slowly to overcome their electrostatic repulsion and get close enough to fuse.
- 3
How does an extremely high temperature make nuclear fusion possible?
Model answer
The nuclei move fast enough to overcome the repulsion between them and come close enough to fuse.
- 4
Why is a very high pressure also needed for nuclear fusion?
Model answer
It packs the nuclei closer together so that collisions happen often enough.
- 5
Where in the Sun are the conditions right for nuclear fusion?
Model answer
In the core, where the temperature and the pressure are both extremely high.
- 6
What causes the enormous pressure in the core of a star?
Model answer
The huge weight of the outer layers pressing inwards under gravity.
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