What is Magnetic Confinement Fusion?
Magnetic confinement fusion is an approach to nuclear fusion that involves suspending a plasma (ionized gas) in a magnetic field and raising its temperature and pressure to great levels. Nuclear fusion is a type of nuclear energy produced when light atomic nuclei — hydrogen, deuterium, tritium, or helium — are fused together at great temperatures and pressures. All the Sun’s light and heat derives from nuclear fusion reactions ongoing in its core. It is through this that the Sun can exist at all — the outward pressure of the fusion reactions balance the tendency towards gravitational collapse. Though mankind has harnessed fission energy — breaking apart heavy nuclei — for nuclear power, successful fusion power still eludes us. Thus far, every attempt at generating fusion power consumes more energy than it produces. Magnetic confinement fusion is one of two popular approaches to nuclear fusion — the other is inertial confinement fusion, which involves bombarding a fuel pellet with
