Nuclear Fusion
Nuclear fusion is a type of nuclear reaction. In nuclear fusion, two or more than two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus. During this process, an enormous amount of energy is released. This energy is called nuclear energy. Nuclear fusion is the energy source of the sun and stars.
Fusion Bomb
A fusion bomb is also known as a thermonuclear bomb or hydrogen bomb which releases a large amount of explosive energy during a nuclear chain reaction when the lighter nuclei in it, combine to form heavier nuclei, and a large amount of radiation is released. It is an uncontrolled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction where isotopes of hydrogen combine under very high temperature to form helium. They work on the principle of operation of atomic fusion. The isotopes of Hydrogen are deuterium and tritium, where they combine their masses and have greater mass than the product nuclei, get heated at high temperatures, and releases energy.
Two nuclei having atomic numbers Z1 and Z2 approach each other with a total energy E. (a) When they are far apart, they interact only by electric repulsion. If they approach to a distance of 1.00 x 10-14 m, the nuclear force suddenly takes over to make them fuse. Find the minimum value of E, in terms of Z1 and Z2, required to produce fusion. (b) State how E depends on the atomic numbers. (c) If Z1 + Z2 is to have a certain target value such as 60, would it be energetically favorable to take Z1 = 1 and Z2 = 59, or Z1 = Z2 = 30, or some other choice? Explain your answer. (d) Evaluate from your expression the minimum energy for fusion for the D–D and D–T reactions (the first and third reactions in Eq. 43.35).
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