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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.
Where are common elements made?
All elements past hydrogen are formed in stars. During the main stage of stars life, it fuses hydrogen into helium. Once it runs out of Helium to fuse, it begins fusing Helium into heavier elements. This continues until iron is formed. Iron gains no energy from fusion, so fusion stops. If the star is massive enough, it will explode in a supernova. The extreme heat can cause the iron to fuse into even heavier elements.
When did Silver become an element?
Silver has always been an element. It was first created inside star by fusing together lighter elements using nuclear fusion.
What element is made when you fuse 2 carbon molecules?
Actually fusing carbon, such as in a star will create one of several type of elements. In the vast majority of stars carbon is not fused at all, but depending on the star's mass carbon may fuse into neon, oxygen, magnesium, among a couple others. This happens in specific type of stars, at specific times in their lives. Fusing is different from chemical reactions. There are no chemical reactions that can make elements, but with nuclear transmutation you can do it. For example, in a star hydrogen is fused into helium, and sometimes helium into carbon.
What gives the sun energy?
Nuclear fusion of elements lighter than iron powers all stars. Basically, when two elements fuse together, there is a loss of mass in the "binding" that holds the nuclei together. In accordance with the law of preservation of matter (it cannot be created or destroyed), that must go somewhere. It is essentially "carried away" in the form of energy. It is this energy that is what keeps the sun, and all other stars, going strong. In the sun, hydrogen is fusing to form helium.
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 are some characteristics of stars that might account for the fact that some have more complex elements in their spectra?
Older age might account for it. As a star ages, it uses up the simplest elements (hydrogen . . . helium . . .) then starts fusing heavier and heavier elements. Our Sun will get to the point of fusing iron, which is pretty heavy, but the truly large stars out there will fuse elements much heavier than Iron. These heavier and heavier elements may account for some stars having more complex elements in their spectra.
What fuel is used by red giant stars?
After using up its hydrogen-1, the star becomes a red giant. It will start fusing helium-4 into heavier elements. It may also fuse heavier elements, to get other elements that are yet heavier.
Does It takes less and less time to fuse heavier and heavier elements inside a high-mass star?
Yes, it takes less time to fuse heavier elements inside a high-mass star because the higher the mass of the star, the higher the core temperature and pressure, which accelerates nuclear fusion reactions. As the star runs out of lighter elements to fuse, it progresses to fusing heavier elements at a faster rate until it reaches iron, at which point fusion stops and the star undergoes a supernova explosion.
Fusing hydrogen atoms into heavier elements produces?
Fusing hydrogen atoms into heavier elements produces helium and releases a large amount of energy in the form of heat and light. This process, known as nuclear fusion, occurs in the core of stars like our sun and is responsible for the sun's energy output.
What Fuel does a Star burn to create its own energy?
A star will use fusion to combine lighter atoms into heavier atoms. A main-sequence star (that's the majority of stars) will convert hydrogen-1 into helium-4, so in this case, hydrogen-1 is the fuel. Once it starts running out of hydrogen-1, it will start fusing the helium into heavier elements - in which case the main fuel will be the helium-4. Later in the life cycle of a star, the fuel can be even heavier elements.
Which nuclear fuel is there in the sun?
At this point in time hydrogen is being fused into helium. Many, many years down the line, as the hydrogen runs out, the sun will begin fusing heavier and heavier elements for fuel. At least to iron.
Why aren't there any greenstars?
A star that shined green would be one that was fusing lighter elements into copper. This can happen - for a few seconds prior to the supernova explosion.
What are the differences of fission and fusion?
Fission is the process of taking a heavy element and splitting it into two or more smaller elements. Whereas fusion is the process of forming a heavier element by fusing two or more smaller elements.
What are the main elements that make up a star?
Stars are primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, with smaller amounts of heavier elements. They generate energy through nuclear fusion in their cores, where high temperatures and pressures cause hydrogen atoms to fuse into helium, releasing energy in the process. Stars also have a structure that includes layers like the core, radiative zone, convective zone, and outer atmosphere.
What element is currently building up in the Sun's core?
Right now, hydrogen is fusing into hydrogen. As the hydrogen gets used up, helium will begin fusing into the next heavier element. When the helium is about used up, the next heavier element will begin fusing into the next . . . . well, keep on going until you get iron as the result of fusing. The Sun has not enough pressure and heat to fuse iron into anything heavier, and the Sun will blossom out into a red giant. Of course, this is billions of years from now . . .
What event is believed to create elements heavier than iron?
The explosion of a supernova. Some astrophysicists don't believe that even THAT would suffice to make some of the very heavy elements such as gold or uranium; they believe that only the collision of two neutron stars would release enough energy to do that. The problem is the "packing fraction" curve. Two atomic nuclei can smash into each other at high energy and release a little bit of energy as the nuclei come together, or "fuse". When two or more hydrogen atoms smash into each other in the cores of stars, they fuse into helium, and we call this "nuclear fusion". As we smash heavier and heavier elements together, they release smaller and smaller amounts of energy in fusing - until we get to iron. Once you start fusing elements together to get stuff heavier than iron, you have to PROVIDE energy to complete the reaction. Think of the packing fraction curve as a valley, with iron at the bottom of the valley. As you roll your bike down the hill from one side, you can coast because gravity is providing energy. Once you pass iron (at the bottom of the hill) you need to start putting in your OWN energy, by pedaling.
