Answer the following questions:

1. How do stars release energy?

2. What two elements is our Sun mainly composed of and what

proportions do we find them in?

3. What is formed when two protons fuse?

4. What substance is formed when a proton collides with a 2

H
1

nucleus?

Fusion Reactors

5. What technical difficulties exist with fusion reactors?

6. How is the plasma heated and contained in a fusion reactor?

7. What would happen if the plasma touched the reactor walls.

8. What would the advantages of constructing a successful fusion

reactor be?

9. Copy and complete the following table

How does it work? How does the Advantages/

reactor work? Disadvantages?
Fission The nucleus of a
fissionable atom
splits into two
fragment nuclei and
releases energy.
Fusion A plasma of bare
nuclei is heated
using a large
electric current and
is contained using a
magnetic field.