Question

To start man-made nuclear fusion one must...more than one answer multiple answer

a enclose a plasma of light nuclei in a magnetic bottle.

b heat a plasma of light nuclei to about 10 million degrees.

c bombard heavy nuclei with thermal neutrons.

d collide heavy nuclei in a particle collider.

Answer 1

To start a fusion reaction, the light nuclei (example: Hydrogen) must be heated to nearly 10 million degrees. The hydrogen at such temperatures will be in the plasma state. Such high temperatures will ensure that the energy which these nuclei have is more than the proton-proton repulsion energy which will otherwise repel them. Such temperatures are achieved in Sun due to its large mass and force of gravity compressing its core.

So, one of the answers is [b].

Also, it is required to compress these hydrogen nuclei in small region since higher temperatures will give them enough kinetic energy to move apart and occupy higher volume. So, high pressure is required to squeeze them.

This can be achieved by enclosing the plasma of hydrogen nuclei in a magnetic bottle.

therefore, another answer is [a].