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How are most of the elements with nuclei heavier than those of hydrogen and helium formed?
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago
Well, Helium is an element, and "substance" can mean a combination of elements and compounds... which are formed according to their chemical properties.
Assuming you were asking about pure elements, rather than substances, all elements up to Iron-56 are formed by nuclear fusion, presumably inside of stars. This is due to to Iron-56 being the most stable nucleus in the Periodic Table. Hydrogen-1 forms Helium-4, Helium combines to form Beryllium-8, Carbon-12, and Oxygen-16. And so on.... up to Iron-56.
Fusion of heavier compounds will not result in excess energy (e.g. a star's heat and light) so those nuclear reactions will not sustain a star.
Therefore, all elements heavier then Iron-56 are formed by the extraordinary conditions of a super nova. Because earth has abundant elements heavier than Iron-56, it is thought that the matter in our Solar System has been through several solar cycles... In other words, "we are all made of stars".
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoWhen stars reach the end of their life-spans, they exhaust their hydrogen supplies and start to fuse helium. When that runs out, they march down the Periodic Table, fusing heavier and heavier elements. When they get to iron (Fe, #26,) the process usually stops, because iron has what's called high nuclear binding energy, which means it resists any further fusion. However, if the star is super-massive enough, the process continues, all the way down to really heavy elements like lead (Pb) and iridium (Ir) and others. At this point, the star is usually very close to blowing itself to pieces in what is known as a supernova. These heavy elements get scattered across the universe. That's where they come from!
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoMost were formed in stars; part of the heavier elements formed in stars were ejected into space in supernova explosions.
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoElements up to iron are formed in the thermonuclear reaction in stars. Elements which are heavier still are formed in novae.
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Which of these elements does this star contain?
Of which elements? - Stars usually consist mainly of hydrogen, less helium, and small amounts of the so-called "metals" (which, in astronomy, means any heavier elements).Of which elements? - Stars usually consist mainly of hydrogen, less helium, and small amounts of the so-called "metals" (which, in astronomy, means any heavier elements).Of which elements? - Stars usually consist mainly of hydrogen, less helium, and small amounts of the so-called "metals" (which, in astronomy, means any heavier elements).Of which elements? - Stars usually consist mainly of hydrogen, less helium, and small amounts of the so-called "metals" (which, in astronomy, means any heavier elements).
Do all stars turn hydrogen in to helium?
No. Stars that have depleted the hydrogen in their cores may start fusing heavier elements.
The sun burns hydrogenate an helium to make what?
The sun fuses hydrogen to make helium. It will be several billion years before the sun fuses helium to make heavier elements.
How are the elements carbon nitrogen and oxygen produced in stars like the sun?
These fusion (carbon , nitrogen , and oxygen) reactions form nuclei of sightly heavier elements.
What is the composition of vega star?
Like other stars, Vega is primarily hydrogen and helium. In fact is particularly low in any elements heavier than helium.
Where did most of the elements heavier than Hydrogen and Helium form in the Universe?
Other elements were formed in stars by nucleosynthesis.
What is the sun formed from?
hydrogen, helium, and a small amount (less than 2%) of heavier elements
How are heavier elements formed from hydrogen within the core of a star?
Heavier elements are formed through nuclear fusion processes that take place in the core of a star. Hydrogen atoms undergo fusion to form helium, and then this process continues to create heavier elements by fusing helium atoms together. As the star fuses lighter elements, it produces heavier elements through a series of nuclear reactions.
What does nucleur fusion create inside stars?
First hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium, and then as the star ages heavier and heavier elements are formed.
Was carbon the first atom created after the big bang theory?
No, hydrogen was. other heavier elements, starting with helium, were formed by the nuclear fusion of hydrogen nuclei.
What are the two main elements of the sun?
The two main elements in the sun are hydrogen and helium. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the sun, making up about 74% of its mass, while helium accounts for about 24%.
Is it true that Hydrogen and Helium were formed by nuclear reaction in the stars and other elements were formed after the Big Bang?
Close, but not exactly. Hydrogen is not formed by nuclear reactions in stars, hydrogen was formed not long after the Big Bang, when the expanding universe had cooled sufficiently that an electron and a proton could combine to form a hydrogen atom. Helium and all the other elements that are heavier than hydrogen, were formed by the process of nuclear fusion, in stars.
What is the fuel of a star in space?
Hydrogen , Helium and a few heavier elements.
What are five objects that form the sun?
The sun is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, which make up around 98% of its mass. Other elements found in the sun's composition include oxygen, carbon, and neon. The sun's core has a temperature of about 15 million degrees Celsius and is where nuclear fusion reactions occur, converting hydrogen into helium and releasing energy in the form of light and heat.
Where are common elements made?
Common elements are primarily formed in the cores of stars through nuclear fusion reactions. These elements are then released into the universe through processes like supernova explosions, where they are scattered and eventually form new stars and planets, including Earth.
What element does a star run out of that causes them to die?
Hydrogen and helium; those two elements are the fuel for the stars. First they fuse hydrogen to helium, later they fuse helium to heavier elements.
How are elements beyond hydrogen and helium formed?
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