Question

In the core of the nuclear fusion reactor, the gas becomes plasma because of
A) Strong nuclear force acting between the deuterons.
B) Coulomb’s force acting between the deuterons.
C) Coulomb's force acting between deuteron-electron pairs.
D) The high temperature maintained inside the reactor core.

Answer 1

Hint: When two light nuclei are combining to form a heavy nucleus, the mass of the product nucleus is slightly less than the sum of the masses of the light nuclei fusing together. A mass difference is produced due to nuclear fusion. Because of this mass difference, there is a release of a very large amount of energy according to the relation $E = \Delta m{c^2}$

Complete step by step answer:
The process of combining two light nuclei forms a heavy nucleus with the release of a large amount of energy is known as nuclear fusion.
For example: when two nuclei of heavy hydrogen ($H_1^2$ ) are combined,
${H^2} + H_1^2 \to H_1^3 + H_1^1 + 4.0{\text{MeV}}$
The nucleus of tritium $H_1^3$ so formed can again fuse with the deuterium nucleus,
$H_1^3 + H_1^2 \to He_2^4 + n_0^1 + 17.6MeV$
The energy released per fusion is less than the energy released per fission. The energy released per unit mass in nuclear fusion is greater than the energy released per unit mass in nuclear fission.
Nuclear fusion can be controlled so that fission energy can be used for useful purposes including for the generation of electrical energy. But, nuclear fusion is an uncontrolled process.
The basic problem in achieving controlled nuclear fusion is that no solid container can withstand high temperatures involved in fusion. Since hot deuterium or tritium gases are completely ionized at high temperatures, they form an electrically conducting mixture of positive and negative charges called ‘plasma’. The plasma can be controlled by magnetic fields. When the plasma is heated by bombardment from an electron gun, the magnetic field suddenly increases. Due to this, the temperature of plasma increases and causes some nuclei to fuse.
Nuclear fusion is achieved by raising the temperature of the substance so that the nuclei have enough kinetic energy to fuse is called thermonuclear fusion.
From this we can say, In the core of the nuclear fusion reactor, the gas becomes plasma because of The high temperature maintained inside the reactor core.

Therefore, the correct option is (D).

Note:
- The energy obtained from the sun and other stars are called stellar energy.
- A nuclear reactor is used to generate electric power.
- Nuclear reactors are also used to produce high-velocity beams of neutrons for their use in nuclear physics.