core of the star increases up to 100 million K.

The star’s thermal pressure

causes it to push out H gas.
LESSON 2: FORMATION OF HEAVY Triple alpha process
➢ Alpha particles refer to
ELEMENTS 4
He. This reaction
involves the fusion of
three 4He atoms in the
Stellar Nucleosynthesis following steps:
➢ Hydrogen and helium atoms in stars began combining in nuclear fusion 4
He + 4He → 8Be
reactions once hydrogen-helium stars had formed from the action of 8
Be + 4He → 12C + γ
gravity. This releases a tremendous amount of light, heat, and radioactive Alpha ladder
energy. Fusion resulted in the formation of nuclei of new elements. ➢ The star can keep
growing into a supergiant as it accumulates mass.
➢ More and more alpha particles are fused to create heavier elements all
the way to iron, making the core and star itself more massive.
CNO cycle
➢ Main-sequence stars hotter than 15 million K could facilitate the
production of helium once carbon was present from alpha processes. This
happens through a process where 12C is used as a catalyst known as the
carbon fusion cycle.

Main-sequence stars
➢ The first fusion process occurs in the hydrogen core of stars such as the
sun with a temperature of less than 15 million K.
Proton-Proton chain
➢ 3He forms from deuterium and proton fusion, also known as deuterium
burning. This immediately consumes all deuterium produced.
2
H + 1H → 3He + γ
➢ 4He forms from 3He fusion. Supernova
3
He + 3He → 4He + 2 1H ➢ Explosion that releases a tremendous amount of energy enough to
synthesize elements heavier than iron. Examples of these elements are
Red Giant uranium and thorium, which are some of the heaviest known elements
➢ The core of a star becomes comprised of He as H is • This is done through the r-process that involves rapid capture of
depleted, while H fusion only occurs in a shell around it. neutrons by the atom.
Due to this process, the temperature and density of the • Other heavy elements are also synthesized through s-process
involving slow neutron capture in red giants.