How does nuclear fusion stabilize a star?

Inside a star, the inward force of gravity is balanced by the outward force of pressure. The star is stabilized (i.e., nuclear reactions are kept under control) by a pressure-temperature thermostat. Suppose the fusion rate increases slightly. Then, • Temperature increases.

What triggers nuclear fusion in stars quizlet?

Heat energy causes the temperature to rise high enough for the hydrogen nuclei to undergo nuclear fusion into helium nuclei.

How does the formation of elements by nuclear fusion depend on the mass of the star quizlet?

How does the formation of elements by nuclear fusion depend on the mass of the star? the outer envelope of the star contracts and expands radially. has a hotter core, and therefore nuclear burning proceeds more rapidly. cannot fuse to make heavier nuclei and produce energy.

How does a star’s mass affect nuclear fusion?

How does a star’s mass affect nuclear fusion? Stars of greater mass have hotter core temperatures, causing fusion to proceed more quickly and enabling fusion of heavier elements to take place. A star’s mass at birth therefore determines almost every aspect of its life and death.

How does nuclear fusion in stars work?

In a nuclear fusion reaction, the nuclei of two atoms combine to create a new atom. Most commonly, in the core of a star, two hydrogen atoms fuse to become a helium atom. This energy moves outward through the layers of the star until it finally reaches the star’s outer surface.

What triggers nuclear fusion in stars?

Fusion: The energy source of stars. The energy released from the collapse of the gas into a protostar causes the center of the protostar to become extremely hot. When the core is hot enough, nuclear fusion commences. Fusion is the process where two hydrogen atoms combine to form a helium atom, releasing energy.

What causes fusion in stars?

Fusion is the process that powers the sun and the stars. To make fusion happen, the atoms of hydrogen must be heated to very high temperatures (100 million degrees) so they are ionized (forming a plasma) and have sufficient energy to fuse, and then be held together i.e. confined, long enough for fusion to occur.

How does nuclear fusion power the sun?

Nuclear fusion, the source of all the energy so generously radiated by the Sun, does two things: it converts hydrogen into helium (or rather, makes helium nuclei from protons) and it converts mass to energy. If the fusion reactions in the core become too weak, a star can and does collapse.

What happens when the hydrogen fusion fuel in the core of a main sequence star becomes substantially depleted?

hydrogen burning in the core while on the Main Sequence. when the hydrogen in the core is exhausted, the star begins hydrogen burning in a shell around the degenerate helium core while moving up the Red Giant Branch.

How is hydrogen fusion in high mass stars different from that in low mass stars?

Strong gravity compresses the hydrogen core to much higher temperatures than in low-mass stars. Fusion rate increases with temperature. CNO cycle fuses hydrogen at a much higher rate than the proton-proton chain that occurs in low-mass stars.

How does a star’s mass affect its nuclear fusion?

What happens to the nucleus of a star during fusion?

Fusion a type of nuclear reaction where two nuclei come together to form the nucleus of a different element. Each element has a particular number of protons in the nucleus. Isotopes of an element all have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. In the core of a star, gravity produces high density and high temperature.

What does the fusion of hydrogen nuclei produce?

The fusion of hydrogen nuclei uses up hydrogen to produce helium and energy. Hydrogen is the fuel for the process. As the hydrogen is used up, the core of the star condenses and heats up even more.

What happens in the core of a star?

In the core of a star, gravity produces high density and high temperature. The density of gas in the core of our sun is 160 g/cm3, much higher than the densest metal, and the temperature is 15,000,000 K (27 million degrees Fahrenheit). At this temperature, the hydrogen and helium gases become a plasma.

How is energy released in the process of fusion?

Energy is released at each step. The fusion of hydrogen nuclei uses up hydrogen to produce helium and energy. Hydrogen is the fuel for the process. As the hydrogen is used up, the core of the star condenses and heats up even more. This promotes the fusion of heavier and heavier elements, ultimately forming all the elements up to iron.