Module 8

Module 8—Nuclear Decay, Energy, and the Standard Model of the Atom

 

Lesson 3—Fission and Fusion

 

Get Focused

 

In the Big Picture at the beginning of the module molecules, atoms, protons, and particles were characterized as different sized balls. The Sun is powered by two very small balls colliding to produce a slightly larger ball and release a huge amount of energy. In the case of fusion, multiple hydrogen nuclei join together to form a heavier helium nucleus, accompanied by the release of massive amounts of energy. It would be an ideal source of power if it could be sustained in a reactor on Earth, such as the one seen in the photograph. Such a reactor would combine multiple hydrogen nuclei to form helium, which is environmentally clean and biologically harmless.

 

However, fusion reactions involving hydrogen need to have sustained temperatures ranging from 45–400 million degrees Kelvin. In the Tokamak reactor vessel, plasma is heated in a doughnut-shaped vessel called a torus. Magnetic fields are used to contain the superheated plasma, preventing it from contacting the vessel walls.

 

Although very promising in theory, current fusion technology can only sustain the reaction for a few seconds while producing only slightly more energy than it consumes. Significant technological advances need to be made before fusion becomes a practical energy source, one that is clean, safe, and abundant.

 

Watch and Listen

 

Watch this video about the Joint European Tours Nuclear Fusion Research Facility (“The Starmakers”) to see the latest reactor technology in action.

 

In Lesson 3 you will compare and contrast the characteristics of fission and fusion reaction.

 

In this lesson you will focus on answering the following essential questions:

• Why do nuclear reactions release so much energy?
  
• What is nuclear fission?
  
• What is nuclear fusion?

Module 8: Lesson 3 Assignment

 

Your teacher-marked Module 8: Lesson 3 Assignment requires you to submit responses to the following:

• Lab—LAB 1, LAB 2, LAB 3, LAB 4, and LAB 5
• Reflect and Connect—RC 1 

The other questions in this lesson are not marked by the teacher; however, you should still answer these questions. The Self-Check and Try This questions are placed in this lesson to help you review important information and build key concepts that may be applied in future lessons.

After a discussion with your teacher, you must decide what to do with the questions that are not part of your assignment. For example, you may decide to submit to your teacher the responses to Try This questions that are not marked. You should record the answers to all questions in this lesson and place those answers in your course folder.

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