It all started with fusion …

The Birth of the

Elements
 Our whole universe was in a hot dense state,
Then nearly fourteen billion years ago expansion started… Wait...

Math, science, history, unraveling the mystery,

That all started with the big bang (bang)!
YES .. The big bang
AGAIN …
REMEMBER THE BIG BANG??Distance and
time

01 02 03 04 05
The In fraction of The same as a After 10 ALL matter in
singularity the fraction of tennis ball .… seconds … existence
was smaller the first second to 90 billion forces were today is a
smaller than an light years already in result of the
than an atom!
atom to across in less place, ex. big bang!
grapefruit
than 1 second gravity
In the first 3 minutes after the
big bang nuclei of atoms
began to form!!!
 "The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in
The great Carl our teeth, the iron in our blood, the
carbon in our apple pies were made in
Sagan .. the interiors of collapsing stars. We are
made of star stuff."
SooOOOOoo … what does that all mean?

Okay … so BUT, You are

you are star more than a
dust … single atom
right? …
 So what are you made of?

As a star is birthed from a nebula hydrogen atoms

combine to form the heavier element helium.

This is done by nuclear fusion and that creates an

enormous amount of energy.

That’s the birth of a star , it begins to glow and energy

radiates from the core in every direction in the form of
electromagnetic waves. BUT wait, there is more!!!
So, to recap …

1 2 3 4 5 6
BANG!!! HOT!!! Cools (a little) … Nuclei form Cools a little AND …
(neutron and more … Electrons
proton) … begin to orbit …
Hydrogen

Our first atom … hydrogen

1 proton (+)
1 Electron (-)
1 Neutron (+/-)
Helium

BUT, through FUSION … joining atoms

together under pressure … we get … helium!!!

A denser atom than hydrogen

HOW?? I hear you ask …

A little bit of math

Hydrogen is no.1 on the

periodic table – its has 1
proton …

1 plus 1 =
A little bit of math

Hydrogen is no.1 on the

periodic table – its has 1
proton …

1 plus 1 = 2
2 protons …

No. 2 on the periodic table

is …
 Hellium
Our little big friend …
 • Early universe ... Simple atoms
with hydrogen being the most
common
Take it back to
the star .. • Fusion = H + H → He

• Still feels too simple

Early big bang … a little more
detail
• The lightest elements hydrogen, helium, deuterium,
lithium, were produced in the Big Bang
• Why? The temperatures in the early universe were
so high that fusion reactions could take place. This
resulted in the formation of the light elements:
hydrogen, deuterium, helium, lithium and trace
amounts of beryllium.
• Nuclear fusion in stars converts hydrogen into
helium in all stars.
Early big bang … a little more
detail
• In stars less massive than the Sun, fusion is the only reaction
that takes place.
• In stars bigger than the Sun further reactions convert helium
into carbon and oxygen and the reaction can continue to
produce elements up to iron.
• Elements higher than iron cannot be formed through fusion
as energy MUST be supplied for the reaction to take place.
• Elements higher than iron are formed in supernovae.
• In a supernova explosion elements part leading to the
formation of different elements … nuclear synthesis
 So, some elements are not "star stuff."
Hydrogen and helium trace their lineage
back to the big bang.

But …
OMG … now its
getting Other elements in the universe
originated in the high-pressure hearts of
confusing!! stars – fusion

While …
Others formed during a star's violent
death – nuclear synthesis
A quick note on nuclear
synthesis …

Don’t stress its not that bad …

Nuclear synthesis …
• Elements above iron in the periodic table cannot be formed in the normal nuclear fusion.
• Fusion yields energy, but since the "iron group" is at the peak of the binding energy
curve, fusion of elements above iron dramatically absorbs energy.
• Given a neutron flux (energy)in a massive star, heavier isotopes can be produced by
neutron capture.
• Generally speaking … current opinion is that many heavier isotopes are formed in
supernovae explosion.
• In the supernova explosion energetic neutrons are produced and nuclei bombarded
building up mass one unit at a time to produce the heavy nuclei.
• With large neutron excesses, these nuclei would simply disintegrate into smaller nuclei
again were it not for the large flux of neutrinos (a neutral subatomic particle with a mass
close to zero) which make possible the conversion of neutrons to protons.
• BUT, recent research suggests that the heaviest elements may be formed primarily in
neutron star mergers rather than supernovae
 But, today lets
focus on fusion …
 Reactions that involve a change in an atom’s nucleus

A nuclear reaction is a process in which an atom’s nucleus

changes by gaining or releasing particles or energy.

Nuclear A nuclear reaction can release one, two, or all three types of
subatomic particles (protons, neutrons, and electrons), as
reactions well as gamma rays.

In nuclear reactions small changes in mass results in a large

change in energy.

For example, the nuclear fission of 1 g of pure uranium-235

releases the same amount of energy as burning about 2
tonnes of coal!
 The process in which two low mass nuclei join together to
make a more massive nucleus.

Ex. the core of the Sun and other stars where there is
sufficient pressure and temperature force isotopes of
hydrogen to collide with great force merging into a single
Nuclear nucleus.

Fusion In the Sun, a fusion reaction occurs between the isotype

hydrogen-2 and hydrogen-3, releasing a huge amount of
energy.

This energy passes from the Sun as radiation and brings

light and heat to our world.
Fusion Nuclear Equation
• The nuclear equation for fusion in the Sun and in fusion reaction
• experiments is:

• Researchers have worked for over half a century to find a technology

that will allow us to extract energy from fusion reactions.
• One difficulty is achieving the high temperatures and pressures
required.
• AND … finding a way to contain a reaction so hot that no vessel can
hold it without being destroyed.
In the beginning 75% H and 25% He, along with
some other trace elements

Helium is the starting point

of everything