Have you ever wondered just what on Earth is happening in the Sun?
It turns out that our Sun, like every other star in the universe, is a factory.
A factory where elements such as Iron (Fe), Carbon (C), Helium (He) an Gold (Au) are made.
To understand how stars make these elements, we need to look at something called Nuclear Fusion.
So, on the surface of the Sun there is mostly Hydrogen (H)- which is the lightest element that we know of.
Hydrogen is fairly simple. It's nucleus has: one proton and one neutron- with one electron orbiting.
Under extreme pressure and extreme temperature, conditions found in stars, the nuclei in the Hydrogen atoms join- forming a heavier element, Helium.
Extreme pressure is needed for this Nuclear Fusion to take place, because the positive nuclei in the Hydrogen atoms repel each other- like when two "like" poles of magnets meet.
When Hydrogen and Hydrogen fuse, Helium is the result- with two protons, two neutrons and two electrons.
As Helium is heavier than Hydrogen, it sinks further into the star.
More Nuclear Fusion happens, and elements like Carbon are made.
At the center of every star, is a core of Iron.
Now, this is a problem because Iron does NOT fuse in the conditions found inside a star and so over time, Iron builds up in the center of the star.
This keeps happening until eventually, the nuclear fuel inside of the star runs out and the star starts to expand into a red 'super giant'.
The star will then collapse under its own gravity and it will explode in a brilliant supernova.
Should a Supernova happen, heavier elements than Iron are made like Platinum and Gold.
So if you happen to have a necklace that is made of Gold, know that it was made inside a dying star.
Unfortunately, Supernovas are almost always the result of the death of big, big stars.
Stars that are hundreds of times bigger than our Sun, and so it is likely that our own Star will never make elements such as Gold and Platinum- it will expand, become a white dwarf and shrink to a black dwarf.
Depressing!
Thanks for reading.
If you think that what you've read is interesting, please comment and Share.
Next, I will be posting "Five Unbelievable Phenomena Found in our Universe".
-Ryan Titmuss
Under extreme pressure and extreme temperature, conditions found in stars, the nuclei in the Hydrogen atoms join- forming a heavier element, Helium.
Extreme pressure is needed for this Nuclear Fusion to take place, because the positive nuclei in the Hydrogen atoms repel each other- like when two "like" poles of magnets meet.
When Hydrogen and Hydrogen fuse, Helium is the result- with two protons, two neutrons and two electrons.
As Helium is heavier than Hydrogen, it sinks further into the star.
More Nuclear Fusion happens, and elements like Carbon are made.
At the center of every star, is a core of Iron.
Now, this is a problem because Iron does NOT fuse in the conditions found inside a star and so over time, Iron builds up in the center of the star.
This keeps happening until eventually, the nuclear fuel inside of the star runs out and the star starts to expand into a red 'super giant'.
The star will then collapse under its own gravity and it will explode in a brilliant supernova.
Should a Supernova happen, heavier elements than Iron are made like Platinum and Gold.
So if you happen to have a necklace that is made of Gold, know that it was made inside a dying star.
Unfortunately, Supernovas are almost always the result of the death of big, big stars.
Stars that are hundreds of times bigger than our Sun, and so it is likely that our own Star will never make elements such as Gold and Platinum- it will expand, become a white dwarf and shrink to a black dwarf.
Depressing!
Thanks for reading.
If you think that what you've read is interesting, please comment and Share.
Next, I will be posting "Five Unbelievable Phenomena Found in our Universe".
-Ryan Titmuss
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