1.3 - Nuclear Fusion Reaction in Stars

Arthur Eddington

- Stated that stars get energy from the nuclear fusion of Hydrogen nuclei. Heavier elements are formed inside stars

George Gamow

- Derived the formula for Mutual Electrostatic Repulsion

Mutual Electrostatic Repulsion

- the probability of bringing two nuclei close

Hans Bethe

- Explained how energy is produced in stars via hydrogen burning

Hydrogen Burning

- set of stellar reactions resulting in the production of He4 from H

- these reactions are responsible for producing energy in stars

Proton-Proton Chain Reaction

- chain reaction where a star transforms Hydrogen into Helium

- occurs only when there is mutual electrostatic repulsion

Carbon-Nitrogen-Oxygen Cycle

- dominant source of energy in stars about 1.3x more massive than the sun

- main source of Helium for such stars upon recycling Carbo-12 and finishing the whole cycle

Helium Burning

- set of stellar nuclear reactions that uses helium to produce energy and heavier elements such as Be, O, Ne, and Fe

Triple-Alpha Process

- two alpha particles fuse to yield Be-8 and y

- Be-8 fuses with another alpha particle to form C-12 and y

Alpha Process

- increases the size and density of the core by forming heavier elements

- vital in transforming main sequence stars into super giants

- the process continues where the product captures and extra particle until it produces the last atom in the series(Fe-52)

- all atoms produced are from even numbered elements