Key Stage 3 – Star Power

Notes for teachers

At a glance

For fusion reactor power stations to become a reality, we will have to overcome a large number of possible difficulties. The most obvious difficulty is containing plasma (atoms that have been stripped of their electrons) that has been heated to sufficient temperatures to overcome the electrostatic repulsion between the nuclei. However, there are additional engineering challenges that need to be solved. One such challenge is that high energy neutrons created by the fusion process bombard the surrounding material causing it to become brittle. Scientists at the University of Oxford have been studying this process in order to find new solutions.

In this lesson, students explore some of the current methods for generating electricity and explore the basic ideas of nuclear fusion.

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to describe a number of different power sources for electricity generation. Students will be able to explain some of the advantages and disadvantages of those methods. Students will be able to describe in very simple terms how nuclear fusion works.

Each student will need

Student Worksheet – Star Power Optional – pens, paper, etc., to make a poster

www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/content/materials-nuclear-fusion-how-do-you-confine-sun-box

Possible Lesson Activities

1. Starter Activity Ask the students in pairs or small groups to come up with as many ways of making

electricity (for use in homes/workplaces, etc.) as possible. Possible answers include: Solar Panels (PV) Wind Turbines Hydro-electric Coal & Gas fuelled power stations Nuclear power

Explain that most power stations (including gas, coal and nuclear) use heat to turn water into steam. The steam then turns turbines which generate electricity. You may wish to introduce the idea of an electricity generator working like an electrical motor in reverse (i.e., For a motor we supply electricity and it causes the motor to spin whereas with a generator you cause the motor to spin and it creates electricity). Wind turbines and Hydro-electric turbines can turn the generator directly.

[Optional] If you have one, it may be useful to demonstrate the use of a hand cranked generator. See one example in the web links.

2. Main activity: Fossil Fuels and nuclear Ask the students to discuss in small groups any advantages/disadvantages of the following:

Coal and gas powered fire stations. Nuclear power stations. Solar Panels/Wind Turbines.

Possible advantages for the above (in order) might be: We already have them – don’t have to build new ones; Tried and tested

technology. Do not produce CO2 and other pollutants associated with fossil fuels. Renewable power; No CO2 emissions or other pollutants.

Possible disadvantages might be: Produce CO2 which is linked with climate change and other pollutants. Produce nuclear waste which has to be stored for an incredibly long time; Very

expensive to shut down at the end of its working life. Only available when it is sunny/windy, expensive to produce panels/turbines.

3. Main activity: Star Power Ask the students to watch the Oxford Sparks ‘Materials for Nuclear Fusion’ animation. Replay the first thirty seconds of the video and ask the students in pairs to discuss what

they can remember about the potential new energy source that the scientists are working on.

Ask some of the groups to share their answers and check that everyone knows the name ‘Nuclear Fusion’, and that is the same source of power that is found in the Sun.

Ask the students to read the student worksheet – Star Power

4. Plenary

www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/content/materials-nuclear-fusion-how-do-you-confine-sun-box

Ask the students to create a name/slogan to advertise fusion power that reflects something about it.

Fusion – the power of the future’ (not yet available!) Star power – uses same process as stars Safe, clean energy – compared to fossil fuels and fission reactors

etc. This could be used as the basis for a poster, or mock TV advertisement

Weblinks

An example hand-cranked generator

https://www.tts-group.co.uk/at-hand-crank-generator/1007137.html. These can be bought from a range of suppliers.

Oxford Sparks ‘Materials for Nuclear Fusion’ animation

www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/content/materials-nuclear-fusion-how-do-you-confine-sun-box

www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/content/materials-nuclear-fusion-how-do-you-confine-sun-box