A research team is investigating the deuterium–tritium fusion reaction The following…

PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Nuclei · Nuclei

Problem

A research team is investigating the deuterium–tritium fusion reaction

_{1}^{2}\text{H}+_{1}^{3}\text{H}\;\longrightarrow\;_{2}^{4}\text{He}+_{0}^{1}\text{n}

The following nuclear masses are provided (in unified atomic mass units, u): •

m(_{1}^{2}\text{H}) = 2.014102\,\text{u}

•

m(_{1}^{3}\text{H}) = 3.016049\,\text{u}

•

m(_{2}^{4}\text{He}) = 4.002603\,\text{u}

•

m(_{0}^{1}\text{n}) = 1.008665\,\text{u}

Assume

1\,\text{u}

corresponds to an energy equivalent of

931.5\,\text{MeV}/c^{2}

. (a) Without performing a full numerical calculation, determine whether the reaction releases energy or requires an energy input. State your reasoning clearly. (b) Describe the sign convention physicists use for the numerical value of the reaction energy and explain why that convention is physically useful. (c) Discuss two distinct technological or natural contexts in which a favorable (energy-releasing) fusion Q-value is essential. In each context, identify one practical implication of the magnitude of the energy release.

Related theory

Browse the problem library