LESSON 1 WEEK 1 What would happen if the star ran out of

helium?
FORMATION OF HEAVIER ELEMENTS
DURING STAR FORMATION AND It depends in what kind of star it is.
EVOLUTION
If it is a medium size of star like our sun, it will
Introduction: become red giant. And inside of it the fusion is
continue evolving. But instead of Hydrogen, the
Science brings forth a cosmological theory, not
Helium is the one that fuse to produce heavier
from belief, but from scientific evidence that the
elements like Beryllium, Carbon, and Oxygen. Soon
universe once began to expand and continues to
it will continue to grow bigger until it will get loose
expand until today.
until it became planetary nebula. It will leave a hot
This theory was eventually called the Big Bang core and we called it white dwarf then eventually
theory or Big Bang model which supported of when its heat rans out it will become black dwarf.
different evidences, one is abundance of light
On the other hand, if the star is massive/big instead
elements. Astronomers George Lemaître and Edwin
of becoming a red giant it will become red super
Hubble were some of its first proponents.
giant. The process still the same, but it will produce
THE ORIGIN OF LIGHT ELEMENTS a lot of elements such as Neon, Silicon, and Iron.
Moreover, this red super giant can’t produce heavier
The origin of all the naturally occurring elements elements than Iron. If there is no fusion happening
falls into two phases: in this one it will immediately collapse, and it will
● Big Bang or Primordial Nucleosynthesis- the explode. And that explosion was called
origin of the “light” elements; and “Supernova.” And Supernova produce heavier
elements such as copper, gold, and silver, and that
● Stellar Nucleosynthesis- the origin and process called Neutron Capture. But there is more
production of the “heavy” elements the remaining core can be a neutron star or
● Nucleosynthesis is the process of creating new blackhole.
atomic nuclei from preexisting nucleons (protons Moreover, if the neutron star collides, we called it
and neutrons). neutron star mergers that can produce heavier
● Primordial or Big Bang Nucleosynthesis refers elements than Iron.
to the process of producing the “light elements” THE ORIGIN OF HEAVIER ELEMENTS
shortly after the big bang.
Once hydrogen-helium stars had formed from the
Nuclear fusion – was all started in “stellar nebula” action of gravity, the hydrogen and helium atoms in
(birth place of stars. stars began combining in nuclear fusion reactions
Stellar Nebula – is clamps of gas and dust that release a tremendous amount of light, heat, and
that collapse because of gravity. Because of radioactive energy. Fusion resulted in the formation
collapse the gas and dust compress that make them of nuclei of new elements, so these reactions inside
congested. With that they scratch together which stars are known as stellar nucleosynthesis.
create friction which produce heat. And heat used to Let’s start in the formation of helium that is
combine different kind of elements. happening in the main-sequence stars.
Basically, the nuclear fusion, collides the There are three major processes in the synthesis of
hydrogen atom to produce Helium and that process helium
releases energy. This process occurs at the core of
star. Proton-proton Chain Reaction
 o This reaction is common in small/medium o Then after that another proton join the
stars like our sun. Nitrogen – 14 and that is how Oxygen – 15
o The goal in this chain reaction is to produce (Oxygen – 15 consists 8 protons and 7
helium neutrons) created.
o This process starts with the combination of 2 o Then after that one of the protons of Oxygen
protons (remember hydrogen made up of – 15 will turn into neutrons and with that
protons) Nitrogen – 15
o Since there is an intense pressure and o Then another proton will join the Nitrogen –
temperature in the core of the star, the 15. But eventually 2 protons and neutrons
protons are energetic enough for them to will throw out. And eventually it will
combine. become Carbon – 12 again.
o With that process you have already proton o And 2 protons and neutrons that is thrown
nucleus that is not match to each other. out is the helium.
o With that proton turning into a neutron via
Triple alpha process
beta-plus decay. This will happen because
one of the protons produce positron and o It called triple alpha process because
neutrino. there are 3 alpha particles that involve.
o With that process you have already a So, what are the 3 alpha particles. Get a
Deuterium (consist 1 neutron and 1 proton) Helium and remove their electrons and
o Then after that process there is another that is the alpha particles.
proton that will join them and you will call it o In this process two alpha particles
Helium – 3 nuclei (isotopes of 2 protons and collide and that is how beryllium
1 neutron) created. This beryllium is highly and
o As the formation of helium 3 takes place the stable. And if there is another alpha
same process takes place around it. particle collides in beryllium before the
o After that these Helium – 3 collides then 2 decay the carbon was created.
protons will be ejected. And with that o Because of their collision they produce
Helium – 4 was created. intense energy that will lead to attract
alpha particles to collide in carbon. And
Carbon- Nitrogen-oxygen cycle eventually oxygen was created.
o This is common in big stars Moreover, star mergers were created by the
o The main goal is to produce Helium Neutron Capture Process there two types of
o It was all started when 1 Proton and Carbon these process and these are S-Process (Slow
– 12 collide (Carbon - 12 consists 6 protons process) and R- Process (Rapid process).
and 6 neutrons). And that is the process The Neutron Capture Process has a simple
where Nitrogen – 13 was created (Nitrogen process. You will just add neutron in one
– 13 consists 7 protons and 6 neutrons). atom and then you will just wait for it
o The Nitrogen – 13 is not stable since there become a proton. If there are a lot of neutron
are more protons than neutrons with that one collides in nucleus in a short time of span
of the protons will turn into neutrons. And we called it R- Process. But if it takes days,
that is how Carbon – 13 created (Carbon – month, and year we call it S- Process.
13 consists 6 protons and 7 neutrons)
For example, you have iron nucleus or we
o Then after that process another proton join
also called it seed nucleus. If there is a big
the Carbon – 13 and that is how Nitrogen –
event like supernova or star merger a lot of
14 created (Nitrogen – 14 consists 7 protons
neutrons collides in seed nucleus in just 1
and 7 neutrons).
second or 2 seconds. But some of the
neutrons will turn into protons. In that way it
can produce a heavier element than iron.
The S-process is commonly inside of the
dying stars like red giant. Then the seed
nucleus is also absorbing neutrons and some
of the neutrons will turn into protons. The
process is the same but in slower way.