ACTIVITY NO.

3: The Nuclear Fusion Reactions in Stars

NAME: DATE:
YEAR & SECTION: SCORE:

Concept Notes:
What are the nuclear fusion reactions that happen in the stellar cores?
Stellar nucleosynthesis is the process by which elements are formed in the cores and shells of the stars
through nuclear fusion reactions. Nuclear fusion is a type of reaction that fuses lighter elements to form
heavier ones. It requires very high temperatures and pressures. It is the reaction that fuels the stars since stars
have very high temperatures and pressures in their cores.
Hydrogen is the lightest element and the most abundant in space. Thus, the formation of heavier elements
starts with hydrogen. Hydrogen burning is the stellar process that produces energy in the stars. There are two
dominant hydrogen burning processes, the proton-proton chain and carbon-nitrogen-oxygen (CNO) cycle.

Proton-Proton Chain
The proton-proton chain is a series of thermonuclear reactions in the
stars. It is the main source of energy radiated by the sun and other
stars. It happens due to the large kinetic energies of the protons. If
the kinetic energies of the protons are high enough to overcome
their electrostatic repulsion, then proton-proton chain proceeds.
The sequence proceeds as follows:
The chain starts when two protons fuse. When the fused proton
breaks, one proton is transmuted into a neutron.
The proton and neutron then pairs, forming an isotope of hydrogen
called deuterium.
Another proton collides with a deuterium forming a helium-3
nucleus and a gamma ray.
Finally, two helium-3 nuclei collide, and a helium-4 is created with
the release of two protons.

Carbon-Nitrogen-Oxygen (CNO) Cycle

For more massive and hotter stars, the carbon-nitrogen-oxygen cycle
is the more favorable route in converting hydrogen to helium.
The cycle proceeds as follows:
Carbon-12 captures a proton and gives off a gamma ray, producing an
unstable nitrogen-13.
Nitrogen-13 undergoes beta decay to form carbon-13.
Carbon-13 captures a proton and releases a gamma ray to become
nitrogen-14.
Nitrogen-14 then captures another proton and releases a gamma ray
to produce oxygen-15.
Oxygen-15 undergoes beta decay and becomes nitrogen-15.
Finally, nitrogen-15 captures a proton and gives off helium (alpha
particle) ending the cycle and returning to carbon-12.
Unlike the proton-proton chain, the CNO cycle is a catalytic process.
Carbon-12 acts a catalyst for the cycle. It is used in the initial reaction
and is regenerated in the final one.

Key Points
Nuclear fusion is a type of reaction that fuses lighter elements to form heavier ones.
Hydrogen burning is the stellar process that produces energy in the stars. There are two dominant hydrogen
burning processes, the proton-proton chain and carbon-nitrogen-oxygen (CNO) cycle.
Proton-proton chain is a sequence of thermonuclear reactions in the stars. It is the main source of energy
radiated by the sun and other stars.
Carbon-nitrogen-oxygen cycle is a catalytic cycle of gamma emission and beta decay that converts hydrogen
into helium.
Exercises: Read each statement carefully. Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. It is a type of reaction that produces heavier elements from lighter ones.

a. combustion b. decomposition reaction c. nuclear fission d. nuclear fusion

2. It is the lightest element and the starting point of nuclear fusion reactions in stars.
a. carbon b. helium c. hydrogen d. nitrogen
3. It is the process that uses kinetic energy of protons to form helium-4 from hydrogen.
a. beta decay b. CNO cycle c. nuclear fission d. proton-proton chain
4. What are the conditions necessary for a nuclear fusion to occur?
a. high temperature, high pressure c. low temperature, high pressure
b. high temperature, low pressure d. low temperature, low pressure
5. What characteristic of the stars determines whether the energy comes from the proton-proton fusion
or carbon-nitrogen-oxygen cycle?
a. distance from another star c. mass
b. distance from the earth d. shape
6. Which of the following nuclei forms when two proton pair breaks, and a proton-neutron pair forms?
a. deuterium b. helium-3 c. helium-4 d. tritium

7. What type of reaction occurs in more massive and hotter stars than the sun?
a. carbon-nitrogen-oxygen cycle c. proton-proton fusion
b. hydrogen-helium cycle d. proton-neutron fusion
8. Which of the following nuclei initiates the sequence of the CNO cycle?
a. carbon-12 b. carbon-13 c. nitrogen-15 d. oxygen-15
9. Why is carbon-12 considered a catalyst of the carbon-nitrogen-oxygen cycle?
a. because it is not involved in the cycle
b. because it is regenerated in the final step
c. because it is heavier than hydrogen and helium
d. because it becomes an unstable nitrogen-13 by releasing a gamma ray
10. How many helium nuclei is/are produced after the CNO cycle?
a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4