The Naked Scientists
Toggle navigation
Login
Register
Podcasts
The Naked Scientists
eLife
Naked Genetics
Naked Astronomy
In short
Naked Neuroscience
Ask! The Naked Scientists
Question of the Week
Archive
Video
SUBSCRIBE to our Podcasts
Articles
Science News
Features
Interviews
Answers to Science Questions
Get Naked
Donate
Do an Experiment
Science Forum
Ask a Question
About
Meet the team
Our Sponsors
Site Map
Contact us
User menu
Login
Register
Search
Home
Help
Search
Tags
Recent Topics
Login
Register
Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences
Chemistry
How do stars create atoms of other elements?
« previous
next »
Print
Pages: [
1
]
Go Down
How do stars create atoms of other elements?
3 Replies
12143 Views
0 Tags
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Mad Mark
(OP)
Full Member
63
Activity:
0%
How do stars create atoms of other elements?
«
on:
04/02/2012 20:24:47 »
Please can some one clear up a few questions about Atoms being created in the core of a star please.
Does a star create the elements in its core in layers with the latest and heaviest in the centre?
When creating an element like Carbon is it combining 2 atoms of Lithium or 6 atoms of Hydrogen or one atom of Boron and one atom of Hydrogen?
Why is Mercury more abundant than Gold if Mercury came after in an exploding star.
«
Last Edit: 13/02/2012 19:31:55 by chris
»
Logged
Tomorrow lies outside our universe without it there would be no tomorrow.
damocles
Hero Member
756
Activity:
0%
Thanked: 1 times
Re: Creating atoms?
«
Reply #1 on:
13/02/2012 04:23:44 »
The formation of atoms in the nuclear reactions in stars involves some quite complex mechanisms. To get a proper answer you would really need to do quite a lot of reading.
A few short and simple answers: carbon in particular, and similar "light atoms" are produced in nuclear reactions in the core of stars. Only atoms with atomic number less than iron, or possibly nickel, can be made in this way. Heavier atoms are much less abundant, and are formed mainly (only?) in supernova explosions.
Atoms with even atomic number are more stable (lower energy) and more abundant than those with odd atomic number. Even number elements can have as many as 8 or 10 stable isotopes; odd number elements have only 1 or 2. Throughout the periodic table, the cosmic abundance of elements is, generally speaking, a zigzag line with peaks at even number elements and dips at odd number elements.
Carbon is formed in a catalytic cycle; it is effectively formed from 3 helium atoms, but the mechanism is much more complicated than 3 helium atoms coming together. Lithium, beryllium, and boron have much lower cosmic abundance than carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, and only enter into the carbon production process in a very transitory way.
The nuclear processes that form elements heavier than helium are fairly well understood, but there is still some uncertainty -- it is enormously difficult to observe precisely what is happening in the core region of any star, even our own sun.
If you want to go deeper into this stuff, try:
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/astro/astfus.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star#Nuclear_fusion_reaction_pathways
http://www.astrophysicsspectator.com/topics/stars/Fusion.html
Logged
1 4 6 4 1
4 4 9 4 4
a perfect perfect square square
6 9 6 9 6
4 4 9 4 4
1 4 6 4 1
Mad Mark
(OP)
Full Member
63
Activity:
0%
Re: How do stars create atoms of other elements?
«
Reply #2 on:
14/02/2012 23:28:10 »
Thank you for that information, going to do some reading up on this.
Logged
Tomorrow lies outside our universe without it there would be no tomorrow.
Satoyaki
First timers
3
Activity:
0%
Re: How do stars create atoms of other elements?
«
Reply #3 on:
18/02/2012 23:57:55 »
its part of the nature of light. it is in lights nature to create. any light that exists, when stimulated will produce more light through a chemical reaction, like a cell dividing.
Logged
Print
Pages: [
1
]
Go Up
« previous
next »
Tags:
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...