NUCLEOSYNTHESIS

Is a thermonuclear reaction that

produces a new chemical element from
another element.
 3 CATEGORIES
OF NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
1. BIG BANG NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
2. STELLAR NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
3. SUPERNOVA NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
 1. BIG BANG NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
-also known as primordial nucleosynthesis
-pertains to the formation of light elements in
the early universe.
-first few minutes of the big bang
Proposed by:
American Physicists GEORGE GAMOW,
HANS BETHE, RALPH ASHER ALPHER
 SERIES OF REACTIONS
1. Protons and neutrons fused to form deuterium.
2. Deuterium collided with other protons, producing helium-3.
3. Deuterium fused with neutrons to produce tritium.
4. Tritium and two deuterium nuclei collided and formed
lithium-7.
5. Helium-3 collided with neutrons, forming helium-4.
 Symbols to use and other entities to
translate a word reactions to nuclear
equations.
1. Protons and neutrons fused to form deuterium.
2. Deuterium collided with other protons,
producing helium-3.
3. Deuterium fused with neutrons to produce
tritium.
4. Tritium and two deuterium nuclei collided and
formed lithium-7.
5. Helium-3 collided with neutrons, forming
helium-4.
-about 25 % of the mass of the universe consist of
Helium (Helium-3 and -4)
-0.01 % is Deuterium.
-smaller quantity is Lithium

-also assumes that 2 unstable nuclei were

produced –Tritium and Beryllium-7
2. STELLAR NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
Is the creation of chemical elements by
nuclear fusion reactions within stars.
Big bang time line includes the
GALAXY formation.
- Gravitationally bound of stars, stellar
remnants, interstellar gas & dust &
dark matter.
-matter that cannot be observed even with
the use of telescope.
How does star formation relate to
nucleosynthesis? Star- generates energy by
-thermonuclear fusing light nuclei to
reaction produces new form heavier nucleus.
chemical element from Ex. Last stage of the
another element. sun formation
(nuclear reaction at
the core)
Fusion of 4 hydrogen nuclei into helium nucleus
commonly referred as HYDROGEN BURNING PHASE
-supplies energy to the star
TWO TYPES
1.PROTON-PROTON
CYCLE
-Occurs in stars with a
mass that is equal to or
less than that of the sun.
2. CARBON-NITROGEN-
OXYGEN (CNO) CYCLE
-Occurs in more massive
stars
-catalytic reaction
- carbon initiates reactions
-produces carbon-12
After converting hydrogen to helium through PPC/CNO cycle,
stars core contracts and outer layer expand.
Causes an increase in temperature which initiates helium
burning through the triple alpha process.
𝟑𝟒𝟐 𝑯𝒆 𝟏𝟐 𝟎 refers to helium-4 nucleus
𝟔𝑪 + 𝟎𝜸
By successive addition of helium
nuclei, heavier nuclide up to
iron-56 are synthesized.
Ex. Carbon-12 capture another
alpha particle to make oxygen-16.
Once Iron and Nickel formed in the core, no
further fusion reactions occur.
Have the highest energy per nucleon, energy
generating reaction are no longer possible.

How other elements formed?

Iron-56 capture neutron to form stable isotope until the sequence
neutron capture reactions form heavier nuclei, when the resulting
nucleus is unstable(radioactive) it decays into another element,
𝟎
giving of beta minus( −𝟏𝜷)
Successive neutron capture that
increase the mass no. and
emission of beta minus build up
the atomic no. up to Bismuth-
209
 SLOW AND RAPID NEUTRON CAPTURE
-responsible for the production of post-iron elements in stars.
(s-process) –occurs in relatively low
neutron densities and at intermediate
temperature conditions in stars.
- Rate of neutron captured is slow
relative to the rate of radioactive beta
decay.
MEANS: nucleus will undergo beta decay
before another neutron captured.
(r-process) –occurs at high neutron
densities.
-neutron capture is fast wherein the
resulting nucleus has no time to undergo
beta decay in between neutron capture.
-mass no. increases, atomic no. stays the
same until it become stable and undergo
beta decay forming nucleus with higher
atomic no.
3. SUPERNOVA NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
Is the nucleosynthesis of chemical
elements in supernova explosions
Involves the production of new elements during
supernova - Explosion of massive stars (5-50 times the mass of
the sun when it runs out of nuclear fuel
During explosion- high concentration of neutrons is emitted.
-heavier elements –neutron rich isotopes.
-highly unstable isotopes since rate of neutron capture is greater
than beta decay Spectroscopic data gathered by
astronomers who examined the light
emitted by distant stars.