A fusion research centre was opened in Rotherham in 2021 - Edexcel - A-Level Physics - Question 13 - 2023 - Paper 2

The graph illustrates the relationship between the binding energy per nucleon and the nucleon number, indicating several important points:

1. Small nuclei tend to fuse to form larger nuclei: As two smaller nuclei combine, they form a larger nucleus, resulting in a more stable arrangement and a release of energy.

2. The binding energy per nucleon increases: This energy is critical as it indicates the stability of the nuclei formed. For instance, from the graph, the binding energy rises from around 5.2 MeV at 12 nucleons to approximately 8.7 MeV at 50 nucleons.

3. Comparison of values from the graph: Notably, the binding energy of helium (He) with 4 nucleons is shown to be about 7 MeV, while larger nuclei like iron, which tends to have the highest binding energy per nucleon, approaches 8.8 MeV.