See Also: Herbal medicine (botanical medicine, herbology, phytomedicine)(health)
Medicine Lodge Memorial Hospital- Medicine Lodge(health)
Orthomolecular medicine (orthomolecular nutritional medicine, orthomolecular therapy)(health)
medicine man(dictionary)
medicine(2)(dictionary)
medicine(dictionary)
medicine(encyclopedia)
Medicine(medicine)
medicine man(encyclopedia)
medicine(dictionary)

q-factor (medicine)


q-factor
<radiobiology> Ratio of power produced by fusion to power put into the reactor to heat the plasma and drive the magnetic fields.

Q = 1 is the definition of scientific breakeven, where power out = power in. Economical fusion will require Q significantly greater than 1. Fortunately Q increases dramatically as the plasma parameters approach the Lawson criterion for ignition. Power to drive the magnetic fields is frequently ignored in discussions of Q, with the justification that a steady-state, continuous-output fusion reactor will have superconducting magnet coils.