Practise Edexcel A-Level Physics fusion, fission and binding energy by interpreting binding-energy-per-nucleon curves and release-energy arguments.
In France, scientists from many countries are working together to build the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).
On the ITER website it states:
"Fusion is the energy source of the Sun and stars. In the core of these stellar bodies, hydrogen nuclei fuse into helium nuclei and release tremendous amounts of energy."
Explain why energy is released when hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium nuclei.
(2)
The graph shows the variation of binding energy per nucleon with proton number Z.
In one possible fusion reaction, a nucleus of ²H fuses with a nucleus of ³H to form a nucleus of ⁴He and a neutron.
Calculate the energy released in this reaction.
