Astronomy
1st Edition
ISBN: 9781938168284
Author: Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff
Publisher: OpenStax
expand_more
expand_more
format_list_bulleted
Concept explainers
Videos
Textbook Question
Chapter 22, Problem 15E
The nuclear process for fusing helium into carbon is often called the “triple-alpha process.” Why is it called as such, and why must it occur at a much higher temperature than the nuclear process for fusing hydrogen into helium?
Expert Solution & Answer
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solution
Students have asked these similar questions
How much energy does 1 nuclear reaction which converts 4 protons to a Helium nucleus generate?
In order to maintain thermal equilibrium, how many such nuclear reactions have to occur every second?
What is hydrostatic equilibrium?
As we’ve seen, the sun’s energy comes from fusion reactions that combine four hydrogen atoms to produce a single helium atom. Even in the sun’s core, where these reactions proceed most rapidly, the reaction rate is very slow, with only about 6.7 * 1013 reactions per second occurring in 1 cubic meter ofthe core. How much power is produced by these fusion reactions per cubic meter? Compare this number with the 300 W/m3 metabolic power produced by a resting reptile.
How is nuclear fusion different from the process of standard radio-active decay?
Chapter 22 Solutions
Astronomy
Ch. 22 - Compare the following stages in the lives of a...Ch. 22 - What is the first event that happens to a star...Ch. 22 - Astronomers find that 90% of the stars observed in...Ch. 22 - Describe the evolution of a star with a mass...Ch. 22 - Describe the evolution of a star with a mass...Ch. 22 - A star is often described as “moving” on an HR...Ch. 22 - On which edge of the main sequence band on an HR...Ch. 22 - How do stars typically “move” through the main...Ch. 22 - Certain stars, like Betelgeuse, have a lower...Ch. 22 - Gravity always tries to collapse the mass of a...
Ch. 22 - Why are star clusters so useful for astronomers...Ch. 22 - Would the Sun more likely have been a member of a...Ch. 22 - Suppose you were handed two HR diagrams for two...Ch. 22 - Referring to the HR diagrams in Exercise 22.13,...Ch. 22 - The nuclear process for fusing helium into carbon...Ch. 22 - Pictures of various planetary nebulae show a...Ch. 22 - Describe the two “recycling” mechanisms that are...Ch. 22 - In which of these star groups would you mostly...Ch. 22 - Explain how an HR diagram of the stars in a...Ch. 22 - Where did the carbon atoms in the trunk of a tree...Ch. 22 - What is a planetary nebula? Will we have one...Ch. 22 - Is the Sun on the zero-age main sequence? Explain...Ch. 22 - How are planetary nebulae comparable to a...Ch. 22 - Which of the planets in our solar system have...Ch. 22 - Would you expect to find an earthlike planet (with...Ch. 22 - In the HR diagrams for some young clusters, stars...Ch. 22 - If the Sun were a member of the cluster NGC 2264,...Ch. 22 - If all the stars in a cluster have nearly the same...Ch. 22 - Suppose a star cluster were at such a large...Ch. 22 - Suppose an astronomer known for joking around told...Ch. 22 - Stars that have masses approximately 0.8 times the...Ch. 22 - Automobiles are often used as an analogy to help...Ch. 22 - The text says a star does not change its mass very...Ch. 22 - The text explains that massive stars have shorter...Ch. 22 - You can use the equation in Exercise 22.34 to...Ch. 22 - You can estimate the age of the planetary nebula...Ch. 22 - If star A has a core temperature T, and star B has...
Additional Science Textbook Solutions
Find more solutions based on key concepts
The sound coming from one tuning fork can force another to vibrate. What is the analogous effect for light?
Conceptual Integrated Science
To push a stalled car, you apply a 470-N force at 17 to the cars motion, doing 860 J of work in the process. Ho...
Essential University Physics (3rd Edition)
Choose the best answer to each of the following. Explain your reasoning. What do we think resides in the center...
Cosmic Perspective Fundamentals
1. In uniform circular motion, which of the following are constant: speed, velocity, angular velocity, centripe...
Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach, Vol. 1 (Chs 1-21) (4th Edition)
The pV-diagram of the Carnot cycle.
Sears And Zemansky's University Physics With Modern Physics
The specific heat capacity of Albertsons Rotini Tricolore is approximately 1.8J/gC. Suppose you toss 340 g of t...
An Introduction to Thermal Physics
Knowledge Booster
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, physics and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.Similar questions
- What gives the triple-alpha process its name? Why is it called a process and not a chain or a cycle?arrow_forwardDo you think that nuclear fusion takes place in the atmospheres of stars? Why or why not?arrow_forwardShow that the statement that 92% of the Sun’s atoms are hydrogen is consistent with the statement that 73% of the Sun’s mass is made up of hydrogen, as found in Table 15.2. (Hint: Make the simplifying assumption, which is nearly correct, that the Sun is made up entirely of hydrogen and helium.)arrow_forward
- Add a fourth column to Table 13-1 and write in the atomic mass for each rows fuel element (see Appendix Table A-14). Review the curve of binding energy, Figure 8-15. Explain the trend of fusion time versus fuel atomic mass.arrow_forwardThe text says that the Local Fluff, which surrounds the Sun, has a temperature of 7500 K and a density 0.1 atom per cm3. The Local Fluff is embedded in hot gas with a temperature of 106 K and a density of about 0.01 atom per cm3. Are they in equilibrium? (Hint: In pressure equilibrium, the two regions must have nT equal, where n is the number of particles per unit volume and T is the temperature.) What is likely to happen to the Local Fluff?arrow_forwardWhy do you suppose so great a fraction of the Sun’s energy comes from its central regions? Within what fraction of the Sun’s radius does practically all of the Sun’s luminosity originate (see Figure 16.16)? Within what radius of the Sun has its original hydrogen been partially used up? Discuss what relationship the answers to these questions bear to one another. Figure 16.16 shows how the temperature, density, rate of energy generation, and composition vary from the center of the Sun to its surface.arrow_forward
- Why is fission not an important energy source in the Sun?arrow_forwardWhat is 2A(B-3C)? What is AxA+BxB+CxC?arrow_forwardBoth the CNO cycle and the proton–proton chain combine 4 H nuclei to produce 1 He nucleus. Would those two processes release the same amount of energy per He nucleus produced?arrow_forward
- 2 protons released in what step of solar nuclear fusion? a. step 1 b. step 2 c. none of the steps d. step 3arrow_forwardMultiple Choice During the intermediate step of solar nuclear fusion a. 1 deuterium fuse with 1 proton making helium-3 b. 2 protons fuse together making helium-3 c. 2 deuterium nuclei fuse together making helium-3 d. 1 deuterium fuse with 1 proton making helium-4arrow_forwardThe Sun is powered by releasing hydrogen to helium. Through either the proton-proton chain or the CNO cycle, the basic reaction is 4 1H morph into 1 4He, releasing nuclear binding energy (and losing mass) in the process. The mass of one proton 1H is 1.6726 x 10-24 gm and the mass of one helium nucleus 4He is 6.6447 x 10-24 gm. What is the mass difference in gm between 4 protons and one helium nucleus? Calculate the ratio of the mass difference to the original mass of the 4 protons as a comparison.arrow_forward
arrow_back_ios
SEE MORE QUESTIONS
arrow_forward_ios
Recommended textbooks for you
AstronomyPhysicsISBN:9781938168284Author:Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. WolffPublisher:OpenStax
Foundations of Astronomy (MindTap Course List)PhysicsISBN:9781337399920Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana BackmanPublisher:Cengage Learning
Stars and Galaxies (MindTap Course List)PhysicsISBN:9781337399944Author:Michael A. SeedsPublisher:Cengage Learning
Stars and GalaxiesPhysicsISBN:9781305120785Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana BackmanPublisher:Cengage Learning
Astronomy
Physics
ISBN:9781938168284
Author:Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff
Publisher:OpenStax
Foundations of Astronomy (MindTap Course List)
Physics
ISBN:9781337399920
Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Stars and Galaxies (MindTap Course List)
Physics
ISBN:9781337399944
Author:Michael A. Seeds
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Stars and Galaxies
Physics
ISBN:9781305120785
Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Half life | Radioactivity | Physics | FuseSchool; Author: FuseSchool - Global Education;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDkNlU7zKYU;License: Standard YouTube License, CC-BY