The power of physics to demonstrate the physics of power

The promise of nuclear fusion as a viable means of generating electricity remains elusive, even after more than half a century of effort. One reason for this lies in a low level of public awareness of the enormous potential of fusion, whereas greater awareness might lead to appropriate pressure on policymakers to cause an increase in funding. Educational resources developed to help encourage societal participation include material originally designed for the classroom[1], which is extended here by a new construct involving the D-T reaction. Use of this tool identifies how so much (energy) is available from so little (fuel), and an instructional approach to present the solution is also described. The definitive nature of the methodology produces successful student learning and it is readily adaptable to reach a broader audience in the public arena. A concomitant benefit of this strategy is the addition of another scenario to the library of real-world events[2-5], which are vastly superior to standard textbook problems but which are still accessible with standard principles.

[1] Announcer, 23 (4), 58, 1993; [2] *.2010.APR.Z11.7; [3] http://www.aapt.org/AbstractSearch/FullAbstract.cfm?KeyID=17763; [4] *.2012.APR.J15.8; [5] *.2018.APR.F1.7 (?) {* http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS}