Scribd
Upload
45 views

Module 1

Stellar nucleosynthesis is the process by which stars form heavier elements. During the star's lifetime, hydrogen fuses into helium through nuclear fusion, and later helium fuses into carbon and other heavier elements. When massive stars reach the end of their life, they explode as supernovae. This explosion creates extremely high temperatures and pressures, allowing the fusion of even heavier elements like iron. Supernovae also disperse these newly created heavy elements into space through the explosion.

Uploaded by

Martha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
45 views

Module 1

Stellar nucleosynthesis is the process by which stars form heavier elements. During the star's lifetime, hydrogen fuses into helium through nuclear fusion, and later helium fuses into carbon and other heavier elements. When massive stars reach the end of their life, they explode as supernovae. This explosion creates extremely high temperatures and pressures, allowing the fusion of even heavier elements like iron. Supernovae also disperse these newly created heavy elements into space through the explosion.

Uploaded by

Martha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Formation of Heavy Elements

Stellar Nucleosynthesis: Rise of the Stars

Scientists believe that the formation of the universe began through the explosion of a primordial atom which
happened 13 billion years ago. It is known as the Big Bang. It became a theory that also explains the continuous
expansion of the universe.

Right after Big Bang, protons and neutrons combined together and formed light elements Hydrogen and
Helium in the process of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. Other light elements such as Lithium and Beryllium were also
formed during this process.

Stellar Nucleosynthesis

The word ‘’stellar’’ means star and the formation of elements in the center of the star is called stellar
nucleosynthesis. Carl Sagan said that ‘’We are made of star stuff’’. What did he mean by that? if we know how some
important heavy elements were formed same as stars, that maybe a clue.

Star Life Cycle

1. The star is unable to generate heat when it runs out of hydrogen in its core leading to its contraction and
expansion. It cools down and glows red. The Helium fused into Carbon. The star is now Red Star.
2. Red giants star becomes exhausted of nuclear fuel, the outer material is blown off into space leaving the
inert Carbon. The remnant s known as White Dwarf.
3. Giant clouds of gas and dust known as Nebula.
4. It is formed from nebula due to the gravity that pulled Hydrogen gas together until it spins faster and faster
and becomes ignited. A Protostar rises.
5. Main Sequence Star starts form when nuclear fusion occurs at the core of the star, it begins to contract,
glow and become stable. Hydrogen is converted into Helium.
6. This is said to be the remain of the white dwarf that cooled down and no longer emits light and heat. The
hypothetical Black Dwarf.
7. It is believed that a Neutron Star is formed from supernova explosion. This is also the smallest star.
8. Explosion of star or Supernova releases large amount of energy. Because of that, elements are dispersed
into the space.
9. Black Hole is a region in space where gravity is too strong that no matter can escape from it.
10. a more massive main sequence star evolves, cools and expands faster than low mass and will turn into Red
Super Giant Star, the largest known star. Carbon fusion still occurs, and Oxygen is formed.

Look at the diagrams below. These will explain how stars are formed into different stages because of nuclear
fusion (combination of nuclei t form heavier one) among heavy elements.

The diagram shows the Proton-Proton Chain Reaction in main sequence star. This is the process by which
average star gets their energy and convert Hydrogen into Helium. It starts with proton and neutron fused together to
form deuterium. When one proton collides with deuterium, Helium-3 is formed. Two Helium-3 collided will be
Helium-4.

Case is different in massive star or star eight times larger than solar mass. They undergo CNO (Carbon,
Nitrogen, Oxygen) cycle to convert Hydrogen into Helium. You can see at the right how Carbon-12 fused with proton
(H) and form Nitrogen-13. Nitrogen-13 undergoes beta decay to form Carbon-13. Carbon-13 captures proton (H),
and Nitrogen-14 is formed. Nitrogen-14 captures proton and Carbon-15 is produced. Oxygen-15 undergoes beta
decay and produces Nitrogen-15. Nitrogen-15 fused with proton gives off Helium and ends up with Carbon-12. Then
the process repeats again.

Tri alpha process happens in red giant star once they leave the stage of main sequence star. This is how
three Helium-4 are converted into Carbon.

A star accumulates more mass and continues to grow into red super giant. Alpha particle fusion happens at
its core and creates more heavy elements until Iron. This is known as the Alpha ladder process.
How do elements heavier than Iron form? As the energy at the core of the stars decreases, nuclear fusion
cannot produce elements higher than Iron. Different pathway is needed for heavier elements to be found.

Neutron capture, a neutron is added to a seed nucleus.


Below is the representation of how neutron us captured and heavier nucleus is formed.

A 1 A+1
x+ n→ y
Z 0 Z
Example:

50 1 59
Fe+3 n→ Fe
26 0 26
Neutron capture can be slow or rapid.

a. S-process or slow process happens when there is a slow rate of capturing neutron while there is
a faster rate of radioactive decay hence increasing the proton by 1.
Example:

b. R-process or rapid process means that there is faster rate of capturing neutron before it
undergoes radioactive decay thus, more neutrons can be combined at the nucleus. This is what
happens in a supernova forming heavier elements than Iron with the process known as
supernova nucleosynthesis.
Example:

The explosion of star or supernova is believed to be the source of other elements heavier than Iron. During the
explosion, these heavy elements are dispersed into the space. Aside from gases Hydrogen and Helium in space,
other evidence of star formation is the energy emitted by different forms of radiation such as UV, Infrared, X-ray,
radio wave and microwave.

You might also like