Nuclear Fusion
What process occurs when two smaller atomic nuclei combine to form a larger nucleus?
What is nuclear fusion?
What provides much of the energy that allows stars to produce light?
What is nuclear fusion?
What creates an electric field around an object?
What is an electric charge?
What type of field surrounds a magnet?
What is a magnetic field?
What two types of force fields are investigated in Standard 8.PS2.1?
Electric and magnetic fields.
What is released when atomic nuclei combine during nuclear fusion?
What is energy?
Why do stars produce enormous amounts of energy?
Because nuclear fusion occurs in their cores.
What happens to the strength of an electric field as you move farther away from the charge?
The electric field becomes weaker.
What happens to a magnetic field as you move farther from a magnet?
It becomes weaker.
What happens to both electric and magnetic field interactions when the distance between objects increases?
The interactions become weaker.
Why can nuclear fusion create heavier atoms?
What is smaller nuclei combining to form a larger nucleus?
What happens to the nuclei of atoms during fusion?
They combine and form new nuclei.
What happens to the electric field when the magnitude of the charge increases?
The electric field becomes stronger.
What happens to the magnetic field when the strength of a magnet increases?
The magnetic field becomes stronger.
A stronger charge produces a stronger electric field. What is the similar relationship for magnets?
A stronger magnet produces a stronger magnetic field.
During nuclear fusion, what part of the atom changes its composition?
What is the nucleus?
A star produces energy through fusion. What evidence could a model show to explain the star's light?
The model could show nuclei combining and releasing energy that contributes to the star's light.
Two charged objects are moved farther apart. What happens to the interaction between their electric fields?
The interaction becomes weaker.
A student places a strong magnet close to a magnetic object. Then the student moves the magnet farther away. What should happen to the magnetic interaction?
The magnetic interaction becomes weaker.
A student investigates whether distance affects the strength of a magnetic field. What should the student change?
The distance between the magnet and the interacting object.
Complete the model:
Small nuclei + ______ → larger nucleus + energy
What is fusion/combination?
A student says, “The light from a distant star is unrelated to changes in atomic nuclei.” What is wrong with this explanation?
Nuclear fusion changes the composition of atomic nuclei and releases energy that produces the star's light.
A scientist doubles the charge while keeping the distance between objects the same. What should happen to the electric field?
The electric field becomes stronger because the magnitude of the charge increased.
A student wants to investigate how magnetic strength affects a magnetic field. What variable should the student change?
The strength of the magnet.
A student claims, “Only the strength of a charge or magnet affects a force field.” What important factor is missing from the claim?
Distance between the interacting objects also affects the size/strength of the field interaction.