Chemistry: Nuclear Fusion

Atom

This is the basic building block of all matter.

In a popular song from 1970, the musical group Crosby, Stills, and Nash use the line, "We are stardust." Why is this statement true?

All elements, including those in our body, that are heavier than hydrogen are produced by fusion at the center of stars. Explosions of these stars then lead to the creation of planets and organisms.

Gravity---> hydrogen + hydrogen <--- Gravity Look at the above diagram. Gravity forces hydrogen atoms together to form...

Helium

Elements heavier than hydrogen are formed when light elements undergo nuclear fusion. Fusion takes place within stars at temperatures nearing 10^8K. Explain why this high energy is required for fusion to occur.

High temperatures result in the high kinetic energy needed to overcome the repulsive force of the two nuclei.

Fusion

The process in which nuclei with small masses are combined to form a nucleus with a larger mass.

Nucleus

This is a group of protons and neutrons in the center of all atoms.

Nuclear Reaction

This is a process where two nuclei or particles interact to form different particles.

Proton

This is a subatomic particle with a positive charge and a mass of 1 amu.

Neutron

This is a subatomic particle with no charge and a mass of 1 amu.

Element

This is a substance that cannot be broken down further by chemical means.

Sun

This is the star at the center of the Solar System around which the Earth and other matter orbit.

AMU

This is the unit used to measure the masses of subatomic particles.

Two critical requirements must be met before light elements, like hydrogen or helium, will fuse and form heavier elements. The two requirements for nuclear fusion are

extremely high temperature and density.

Large amounts of energy are required in order to join two atom's nuclei into a single nucleus and, in turn create a new element. What is the name of the process where two nuclei join to create a new element?

fusion

Large amounts of energy are required in order to join two atom's nuclei into a single nucleus and, in turn, create a new element. What is the name of the process where two nuclei join to create a new element?

fusion

The universe cooled after the Big Bang. At some point, hydrogen atoms combined atoms combined to form helium. What is this process called?

fusion

When a star is formed, it initially consists of hydrogen and helium. Helium nuclei continue to collide to form heavier elements. This process continues until a star has converted a large fraction of its core's mass to iron. At this point the star has almost reached the end of its life. What is the name of the process that is responsible for the formation of elements heavier than hydrogen?

fusion

The Big Bang nucleosynthesis theory states that ____ elements were produced in the first few minutes of the Big Bang while ____ elements have their origins in the interiors of stars, forming much later in the history of the Universe.

light; heavier

In large, massive stars, fusion occurs through a multiple step process referred to as the carbon-nitrogen-oxygen cycle. During this cycle the larger elements, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, are formed. The nuclear equation represents one step in this process. What element is missing from this equation?

nitrogen- 13

Our sun uses the process of fusion in order to combine atoms of hydrogen into helium atoms. If enough energy is available to overcome the electrostatic forces between the opposing nuclei, other elements besides hydrogen can undergo nuclear fusion. With temperatures in excess of 600 million kelvin, two carbon atoms could fuse together. This process would produce two helium atoms and which of these other elements?

oxygen