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Why is knowing the temperature in a star's core so important in knowing what nuclear reaction can occur there?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Knowing the temperature at a star's core lets us know how much energy is available. This is critical because it requires different amounts of energy to fuse atoms together.
The most "basic" star is one which is composed entirely of hydrogen, and through the massive gravitational pressure and heat, hydrogen is fused into helium. This is the simplest type of fusion. Once all of the hydrogen is used up, it requires more energy to fuse the helium into Lithium and other heavy elements. Essentially, the higher on the Periodic Table an element is, the more energy it takes to make.
Once you get to Iron, stars are unable to manufacture anything heavier because other physical laws prevent the build-up of sufficient energy in the body of a star. So, all of the heavier elements, we believe, are the products of super novas.
The energy released by these exploding stars is sufficient to make all of the other naturally occurring elements.
So, to get back to your question: The higher the temperature, the more energy. The more energy, the larger the element that can occur.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
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It takes an extremely high temperature for nuclear to occur inside the sun?
Not nuclear, it takes an extremely hight temperature for Fusion to occur with in the sun or any other star. ADDED: Yes "nuclear". Fusion is one of the two type of nuclear reaction, the other being Fission.
What energy would be used in a nuclear reaction in a star?
Nuclear fusion.
What is thermonuclear reaction in sun?
Nuclear fusion
What nuclear reaction happens between hydrogen and helium in the sun?
Nuclear fusion, in which hydrogen-1 is fused into helium-4.
How does fusion in the sun happen?
At sun's surface, the temperature is enough for two hydrogen(deuterium) molecules to fuse and form a helium molecule. Due to availability of optimum temperature at the surface of sun, the reaction takes place continuously and energy due to nuclear fusion is continuously liberated.
Is nuclear chain reaction is called fusion?
The idea of nuclear fusion occurring at room temperature is called cold fusion.
What is the most important characteristic of a nuclear reaction?
Nuclear reactions involve the reaction of nuclei and does not involve transfer of electron as in regular chemical reactions.
What type of nuclear reaction takes place in stars?
Nuclear fusion is the type of nuclear reaction that occurs in stars. Older stars with a collapsing center can exceed a temperature of one hundred million Kelvin.
What is one obstacle that is used in nuclear fusion?
temperature/pressure needed to start reaction.
State wether a nuclear fusion is a chemical reaction or a nuclear reaction?
Nuclear
What type of reaction happens inside a nuclear power plant?
A nuclear chain reaction nuclear fission
How do you say nuclear reaction in German?
nuclear reaction= Kernreaktion
What is meant by nuclear reaction at very temperature?
there is no end-scale "highest" temperature, to put this in easy terms : the bigger the bang the higher the temperature, to answer the Question: the highest temperature would probably be the temperature created when the big-bang occurred.
What type of reaction happens inside a nuclear plant?
A nuclear chain reaction nuclear fission
What type of nuclear reaction is used in modern day nuclear reactors?
Current nuclear reactors rely on nuclear fission as their nuclear reaction.
Why uranium 235 is used in fusion reaction?
The isotope 235U is important for the nuclear fissionreaction (not fusion !).
Is fusion a type of chemical reaction?
False
