Controlled fusion is a possible future energy source that would harness the same nuclear fusion reactions that power the sun. The simplest fusion reaction is ²H⁺ + ²H⁺ → ³He⁺⁺ + n + energy, in which nuclei of two deuterium atoms fuse into a nucleus while ejecting a neutron and releasing a substantial amount of energy. Deuterium is not an element but is the name given to 'heavy hydrogen,' in which the nucleus is not simply a proton but a proton and a neutron, with atomic mass 2 u. Two positive deuterium nuclei, which repel each other, can get close enough to fuse only if they have very high speeds. This can be achieved by creating a plasma of ionized deuterium gas at a temperature of 1.0 x 10⁸ K. No material substance can contain a plasma at this temperature, so the idea is to contain the plasma with magnetic fields. Consider the simplest model of using a solenoid to confine the ions to cyclotron motion around the field lines. The plasma ions have a range of speeds, and it's necessary to contain all the ions with speeds up to three times the rms speed at the plasma temperature. What magnetic field strength is needed to keep the fastest ions in 20-cm-diameter cyclotron orbits? The actual magnetic fields are considerably more complex, but your answer is a reasonable estimate of the required field strengths.
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