"Nuclear Fusion": For the fusion reactions powering the Sun to take place, protons (with charge +1.6x10³C, and mass 3.3x10kg) must come within 2.4x10m of each other. (At that range the strong nuclear force overcomes their electrical repulsion, and they merge into deuterium. Later, two deuterium fuse into helium, completing the reaction.) a) If two protons have a head on collision at equal speeds, how fast must they be going in order to get close enough to react? b) Use the ideal gas equation for average kinetic energy: Kg = (3/2)k T to find the temperature at which the average proton would be moving fast enough to undergo fusion. Note that this is Boltzman's constant, k, = 1.38x10² J/K, in this formula. (Note that this temperature is actually much hotter than the core of the Sun - in the sun it's not the average H' that need to be moving fast enough to fuse, just the fastest ones.)
"Nuclear Fusion": For the fusion reactions powering the Sun to take place, protons (with charge +1.6x10³C, and mass 3.3x10kg) must come within 2.4x10m of each other. (At that range the strong nuclear force overcomes their electrical repulsion, and they merge into deuterium. Later, two deuterium fuse into helium, completing the reaction.) a) If two protons have a head on collision at equal speeds, how fast must they be going in order to get close enough to react? b) Use the ideal gas equation for average kinetic energy: Kg = (3/2)k T to find the temperature at which the average proton would be moving fast enough to undergo fusion. Note that this is Boltzman's constant, k, = 1.38x10² J/K, in this formula. (Note that this temperature is actually much hotter than the core of the Sun - in the sun it's not the average H' that need to be moving fast enough to fuse, just the fastest ones.)
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Transcribed Image Text:"Nuclear Fusion":
For the fusion reactions powering the Sun to take place, protons (with charge +1.6x10°C, and mass
3.3x10"kg) must come within 2.4x10*m of each other. (At that range the strong nuclear force
overcomes their electrical repulsion, and they merge into deuterium. Later, two deuterium fuse into
helium, completing the reaction.)
a) If two protons have a head on collision at equal speeds, how fast must they be going in order to
get close enough to react?
b) Use the ideal gas equation for average kinetic energy: Kng = (3/2)kgT to find the temperature at
which the average proton would be moving fast enough to undergo fusion. Note that this is
Boltzman's constant, kg = 1.38x10 J/K, in this formula. (Note that this temperature is actually
much hotter than the core of the Sun– in the sun it's not the average H' that need to be moving
fast enough to fuse, just the fostest ones.)
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