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Beginning with Hydrogen in what order do elements undergo fusion on the sun?
Kirklind
The way I see it, hydrogen-3 (tritium) came first, then hydrogen and its more common isotope hydrogen-2 (deuterium) formed by radioactive decay (12.32 year half-life). Deuterium would fuse with itself to form helium, while tritium would fuse with itself to form Lithium. Helium would fuse to form Beryllium, Lithium to form Boron, Lithium would fuse into Carbon, Lithium and Beryllium would fuse into Nitrogen and finally, Beryllium and Boron could have fused into Oxygen. At 350 million Kelvin, helium by itself would yield mostly carbon in about a year. Most of the rest would be oxygen (10%) and neon (less than 1%). Assuming Tritium decay, the rest of the elements form alongside the helium.
At lower temperatures, more oxygen ends up at the top given more time. With these lighter elements fused together, it is conceivable that all the elements would follow these nine listed, given time. All kinds of combinations are possible, given the right conditions. I am not a nuclear physicist, nor even a physicist, so look elsewhere for a scientific answer. This could be a good starting point to asking the right questions, though.
A "scientific" answer: At present, hydrogen is the only element undergoing fusion in the Sun. In the future, the Sun will start to use helium fusion. The Sun will become a Red Giant star and carbon and oxygen will be formed.
The mass of the Sun is not enough to form elements beyond that. So, the Sun will never fuse carbon atoms, for example.
In fact, hydrogen doesn't form helium directly, but via series of reactions. Perhaps this question refers to those details.
Lithium, beryllium and helium itself can be involved in reactions that produce helium from hydrogen in the Sun. It's called the "proton-proton chain reaction".
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∙ 10y ago
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In stars hydrogen nuclei combine with each other to form helium and other heavier elements. What is this process called?
This process is called "nuclear fusion".
Why does your sun have 2 percent heavier elements and from where do they come?
I think it's our Sun which gets heavier elements from fusion of hydrogen and other light elements.Edit: Our Sun does create helium from hydrogen by fusion, but that's all. The reason it has heavier elements is that these come from the nebula that formed the Sun. The heavier elements are thought to have come from stars that exploded as "supernovas", a long time ago.
Where were the majority of elements located after the big bang?
The matter of the Universe was scattered in space; stars and galaxies formed much later. By the way, only hydrogen (#1) and helium (#2) existed in the beginning, and perhaps a small amount of lithium (#3); the "metals" (i.e., heavier elements) were formed later within the stars, through fusion.
How did carbon reach Earth?
All elements heavier than hydrogen, including carbon, were produced by fusion in the centre of stars, which then exploded (supernova), and the debris was part of the Earth's formation.
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.
What are the first two elements to form when hydrogen nuclei undergo fusion?
helium & lithium
Which substance is most likely to undergo nuclear fusion?
Hydrogen is the element that is most likely to undergo nuclear fusion.
Which pair of nuclei can undergo a fusion reaction?
Hydrogen-2 and hydrogen-3
Will hydrogen combine with other elements?
fusion
How many elements from the periodic table where contained in the beginning?
One. The simplest one called hydrogen. All other natural elements were derived by solar fusion and distributed by supernovas.
How do you find elements of nuclear fusion?
In nuclear Hydrogen bomb is based on the principle of fusion. In fusion two hydrogen fuses to form one helium.
How does hydrogen affect people?
The sun (mostly hydrogen) is basically a nuclear fusion reactor, releasing energy by nuclear fusion of hydrogen nuclei into higher elements (which is where the higher elements actually come from). In fact it is a fusion bomb held together by stupendous gravity. No hydrogen, no sun, no people.
What process do stars undergo during the main-sequence stage of their life cycle?
hydrogen fusion
What is the process called which formed elements from hydrogen and helium after the Big Bang occured?
Fusion or Nuclear Fusion
What elements form through nuclear fusion?
With the exceptions of the lighter elements of hydrogen (H) and helium (He), nearly all of the known elements were created by, or as a byproduct of, nuclear fusion.
How come fusion needs hydrogen instead of other elements?
it does not. you can fuse any elements to each other
What is the source of energy for a star?
The energy source for stars, which produces vast amounts of heat and light, is the fusion of atomic nuclei in the star's core. In our own Sun, hydrogen is fused into helium; in older and heavier stars heavier elements may also undergo nuclear fusion.
