Stellar

Nucleosynthesis &
Life Cycle of the
Stars
Table of contents
Phenomenon in
Stellar Stellar
01 02
Nucleosynthesis Nucleosynthesis

03
Life Cycle of
Stars
 Objectives of this lesson:

1. to define what is stellar nucleosynthesis;

2. to know about the phenomenon occurring in
stellar nucleosynthesis;
3. to classify the life cycle of star.
 Stellar
01 Nucleosynthesis
“Look at the stars, look how they shine for you”
 Stellar nucleosynthesis is the
process in which heavier chemical
elements are formed through
nuclear fusion reactions in stars,
from hydrogen up to iron in the
periodic table, with more massive
stars using heavier elements in later
stages.

What is Stellar Nucleosynthesis?

Who invented
Stellar
Nucleosynthesis?

Subrahmanyan
Fred Hoyler William Fowler
Chandrasekhar

Fred Hoyle, an astrophysicist, proposed the theory of stellar

nucleosynthesis in 1946. He proposed that the heavier elements in the
universe, such as carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, were formed through a
series of nuclear reactions in the cores of stars. Several other
scientists, including William Fowler and Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar,
refined and expanded on Hoyle's theory of stellar nucleosynthesis
What are the elements
formed in Stellar
Nucleosynthesis?
The elements used in stellar
nucleosynthesis include the hydrogen
atom (H), helium (He), carbon (C),
nitrogen (N) , oxygen (O), neon (Ne),
magnesium (Mg), silicon (Si), sulfur
(S), calcium (Ca), titanium (Ti), and
iron (Fe). More massive stars also use
heavier elements such as nickel (Ni),
chromium (Cr), and cobalt (Co) in the
later stages of their lifetime as they
transition to supernovae.
Importance of Stellar
Nucleosynthesis
Stellar Nucleosynthesis is an incredibly
important process wherein larger elements
are formed by nuclear fusion in stars. This
process is essential to the formation of many
elements found in the universe, such as
carbon, oxygen, calcium and iron. Without
stellar nucleosynthesis, these elements would
not exist!
 Phenomenons in
Stellar
02 Nucleosynthesis
“Ikaw ang star ng pasko”
 How does the Stellar
Stellar formation
Nucleosynthesis began
work? with the
What
collapse
are theof a large, dense
conditions cloud of
to let the
gasStellar
and dust, called a molecular
Nucleosynthesis
cloud. over the course of millions or
happen?
billions of years, stars undergo
various stages of evolution.
 Stellar formation began with the
collapse of a large, dense cloud of
gas and dust, called a molecular
cloud. over the course of millions or
billions of years, stars undergo
various stages of evolution.
 Life Cycle of a Star
03 “Twinkle, twinkle, little star”
Stars
A star is an astronomical object
comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma
held together by self-gravity. The
nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many
other stars are visible to the naked eye
at night, but their immense distances
from Earth make them appear as fixed
points of light.
 Introduction
All stars form huge clouds of gas and dust. Though they shine
for many thousands, and even millions of years, stars do not
last forever. The changes that occur in a star over time and the
final stage of its life depend on a star's size.
Nebula
A nebula is a distinct
luminescent part of
interstellar medium, which
is a giant cloud of dust and
gas in space.
Protostar
The core evolves into a
protostar as it becomes
denser and hotter. The
protostar is not yet hot
enough for nuclear fusion
to occur, but it is emitting
radiation as it contracts.
Main Sequence Star
A main sequence star
is any star that has a
hot, dense core which
fuses hydrogen into
helium to produce
energy.
Red Giant
A red giant is a luminous
giant star of low or
intermediate mass in a late
phase of stellar evolution.
 Formation of
Heavier Elements
Red Super Giant
Red super giants are stars with
a supergiant luminosity class of
spectral type. They are the
largest stars in the universe in
terms of volume, although they
are not the most massive or
luminous.
White Dwarf
A white dwarf is what
stars like the Sun
become after they
have exhausted their
nuclear fuel.
Black Dwarf
A black dwarf is a
theoretical stellar remnant,
specifically a white dwarf
that has cooled sufficiently
to no longer emit significant
heat or light
Supernova
A supernova is the
explosion of a star. It
is the largest explosion
that takes place in
space.
Neutron Star
A neutron star is the
collapsed core of a massive
supergiant star, which had a
total mass of between 10 and
25 solar masses, possibly
more if the star was
especially metal-rich.
Black
Hole
A black hole is a region of
space where gravity is so
strong that nothing, including
light or other
electromagnetic waves, it's
gravitational pull is so strong
that no object was able to
escape.
 Any
questions?
Thank you for
listening!