For a fusion reaction between two lightweight nuclei to occur, the Columbic repulsion between them is required to be overcome. This can be done by which of the following ways?
To bring two nuclei close enough so that the strong nuclear force could take over we need to overcome the electrostatic repulsion between them. Two fundamental ways are possible:
1. Keep applying a constant force until you bring them close enough.
2. Give the nuclei sufficient kinetic energy by some means so that they can utilize this kinetic energy to overcome the repulsion.
The first thing can be done by applying an electric field. We know an electric field can accelerate nuclei, but only if they are purely nuclei. The electric field will be of no use as long as the nucleus is in the atom because an atom is electrically neutral.
We can give the nuclei sufficient kinetic energy and one way to do that is by heating. We know particles when heated, their kinetic energy is increased. The average kinetic energy of particles at a temperature T is given by
E =1.5 KT.