Editing Inertial electrostatic confinement (section)

==Mechanism==

For every [[volt]] that an ion is accelerated across, its kinetic energy gain corresponds to an increase of temperature of 11,604 [[kelvin]]s (K). For example, a typical [[magnetic confinement fusion]] plasma is 15&nbsp;keV, which corresponds to 170 megakelvin (MK). An ion with a charge of one can reach this temperature by being accelerated across a 15,000&nbsp;V drop. This sort of voltage is easily achieved in common electrical devices; a typical [[cathode-ray tube]] operates in this range.

In fusors, the voltage drop is made with a wire cage. However high [[electrical resistivity and conductivity|conduction]] losses occur in fusors because most ions fall into the cage before fusion can occur. This prevents current fusors from ever producing net power.

[[File:Fusor Mechanism.png|thumb|center|500px|This is an illustration of the basic mechanism of fusion in fusors. (1) The fusor contains two concentric wire cages. The cathode is inside the anode. (2) Positive ions are attracted to the inner cathode. They fall down the voltage drop. The electric field does work on the ions heating them to fusion conditions. (3) The ions miss the inner cage. (4) The ions collide in the center and may fuse.<ref name="Tim Thorson 1996">{{cite thesis |last=Thorson |first=Timothy A. |title=Ion flow and fusion reactivity characterization of a spherically convergent ion focus |type=Ph. D. |date=1996 |institution=University of Wisconsin-Madison |oclc=615996599}}</ref><ref name="Tim Thorston 1997">{{cite journal |last1=Thorson |first1=T.A. |last2=Durst |first2=R.D. |last3=Fonck |first3=R.J. |last4=Sontag |first4=A.C. |title=Fusion reactivity characterization of a spherically convergent ion focus |date=17 July 1997 |publication-date=April 1998 |journal=Nuclear Fusion |volume=38 |issue=4 |pages=495–507 |publisher=International Atomic Energy Agency |bibcode=1998NucFu..38..495T |s2cid=250841151 |doi=10.1088/0029-5515/38/4/302}}</ref>]]