Question detail

Why is high temperature necessary for nuclear fusion to occur?

Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.

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At a glance

MCQ

Type

practice

Style

Topic

Nuclear fission and fusion

Question

A. To provide energy to split the nuclei
B. To overcome electrostatic repulsion between nuclei
C. To cool down the reaction environment
D. To increase the mass of the nuclei

Answer

The correct answer is B: To overcome electrostatic repulsion between nuclei.

Explanation

The correct answer is B: To overcome electrostatic repulsion between nuclei. This supports the learning objective "(Physics only) Explain that high temperature is needed to overcome electrostatic repulsion between nuclei." in Nuclear fusion (physics only) because it uses the correct atomic and nuclear radiation relationship for Nuclear fission and fusion. The other options are less suitable because they do not match the required Nuclear fusion (physics only) idea: To provide energy to split the nuclei; To cool down the reaction environment; To increase the mass of the nuclei.

Common mistake

Misunderstanding Electrostatic Repulsion

Students often think that high temperature is solely needed for fusion to occur without understanding that it specifically overcomes the electrostatic repulsion between positively charged nuclei.

Emphasize that high temperature provides the kinetic energy necessary for nuclei to collide with enough force to overcome their repulsive forces, enabling fusion.

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