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Why is the temperature required for deuterium-tritium fusion lower than that needed for deuterium-deuterium fusion? (Hint: Consider the Coulomb repulsion and nuclear attraction for each case.
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Why is the temperature required for deuteriumtritium fusion lower than that needed for deuteriumdeuterium fusion? (Hint: Consider the Coulomb repulsion and nuclear attraction for each case.)
To start a deuterium-deuterium fusion reaction, it has been estimated that each nucleus needs an initial kinetic energy of about $4 \times 10^{-14} \mathrm{J}$. What would be the corresponding temperature for the process? Why is this temperature value an overestimate?
Given that the energy released in the fusion of two deuterium atoms to a 3He and a neutron is 3.3 MeV, and in the fusion to tritium and a proton it is 4.0 MeV. Calculate the energy change for the process 3He + 1n-3H + 1p. Suggest an explanation for why this process occurs at much lower temperatures than either of the first two.
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