Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A fusion plant makes MW of heat from the reaction , which releases MeV. The molar masses are g/mol for deuterium and g/mol for tritium. Find the number of reactions each second. Find the mass of tritium and the mass of deuterium used in one day. Find also the energy released from one kilogram of a mixture of deuterium and tritium, in equal numbers of atoms. Use J and .
The electric potential energy of two nuclei that touch is MeV, with in fm and . The average kinetic energy of a particle in a gas is , with eV/K. The Sun's luminosity is W, and the energy that goes with a mass is .
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. The rate. One reaction gives J. So the rate is .
Step 2. In a day. reactions, which is mol of each atom.
Step 3. The masses. Tritium: g. Deuterium: g.
Step 4. For one kilogram. One mole of reactions uses g of fuel and gives J for each kilogram.
Answer: , g of tritium, g of deuterium, and J from one kilogram.
Compare. One kilogram of uranium-235 gives J, so the D-T mixture gives about times more. And a fusion plant of this power uses less than g of tritium in a day.
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