ITER

Learning objectives

To show an example of magnetic confinement: the magnetic bottle.
To show the problems which must be solved on the way to controlled fusion processes.

ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is an experimental nuclear fusion project aimed at providing almost unlimited renewable energy. It involves subjecting heavy hydrogen atoms to extreme temperatures and pressure in a confined medium in order to cause fusion of the atoms, thereby reproducing what happens in the stars. The excess energy released during this process can be used to produce electrical power.