The source of stellar energy is _____________ .A) nuclear fissionB) nuclear fusionC) nuclear fission and fusionD) nuclear decay (2024)

FAQs

The source of stellar energy is _____________ .A) nuclear fissionB) nuclear fusionC) nuclear fission and fusionD) nuclear decay? ›

Hint:Stellar energy refers to the energy radiated by a star. This energy is obtained from an internal source of the star. The internal source corresponds to the energy produced when two lighter nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus. This process is referred to as a fusion reaction.

Stellar nucleosynthesis is the process through which elements are created within stars, by combining the protons and neutrons together from the nuclei of lighter elements. All of the atoms in the universe began as hydrogen. Fusion inside stars transforms hydrogen into helium, heat, and radiation.

Nuclear energy is a form of energy released from the nucleus, the core of atoms, made up of protons and neutrons. This source of energy can be produced in two ways: fission – when nuclei of atoms split into several parts – or fusion – when nuclei fuse together.

Hydrogen fusion (nuclear fusion of four protons to form a helium-4 nucleus) is the dominant process that generates energy in the cores of main-sequence stars. It is also called "hydrogen burning", which should not be confused with the chemical combustion of hydrogen in an oxidizing atmosphere.

All stars are formed from collapsing clouds of gas and dust, often called nebulae or molecular clouds. Over the course of millions of years, these protostars settle down into a state of equilibrium, becoming what is known as a main-sequence star. Nuclear fusion powers a star for most of its existence.

What makes stars shine? Stars produce their energy through nuclear fusion. For most stars, this process is dominated by a process called the “proton-proton chain,” a sequence of events that transforms four hydrogen atoms into one helium atom.

Fusion reactions power the Sun and other stars. In fusion, two light nuclei merge to form a single heavier nucleus.

Nuclear fission is the process where the nucleus of an atom splits into two or more smaller nuclei and other particles. These particles can include neutrons, alpha particles (helium nuclei), beta particles (electrons), and gamma rays (which consist of particles of light, or photons).

10.3 potential energy, magnetic or electrical energy, chemical energy or nuclear energy. Generally, rotational, electromagnetic and chemical energy can be quickly ruled out as being insufficient, though we note that rotational energy powers pulsars, and magnetic energy can power magnetars.

What is the source of nuclear fusion? ›

The main fuels used in nuclear fusion are deuterium and tritium, both heavy isotopes of hydrogen. Deuterium constitutes a tiny fraction of natural hydrogen, only 0,0153%, and can be extracted inexpensively from seawater. Tritium can be made from lithium, which is also abundant in nature.

Both fission and fusion are nuclear reactions that produce energy, but the processes are very different. Fission is the splitting of a heavy, unstable nucleus into two lighter nuclei, and fusion is the process where two light nuclei combine together releasing vast amounts of energy.

Fission splits a heavy element (with a high atomic mass number) into fragments; while fusion joins two light elements (with a low atomic mass number), forming a heavier element. In both cases, energy is freed because the mass of the remaining nucleus is smaller than the mass of the reacting nuclei.

For the Sun and other normal main-sequence stars, the source of energy lies in the conversion of hydrogen to helium. The nuclear reaction thought to occur in the Sun is called the proton-proton cycle.

In the 20th century, it was recognized that the energy released from nuclear fusion reactions accounts for the longevity of stellar heat and light. The fusion of nuclei in a star, starting from its initial hydrogen and helium abundance, provides that energy and synthesizes new nuclei.

This energy is obtained from an internal source of the star. The internal source corresponds to the energy produced when two lighter nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus. This process is referred to as a fusion reaction.

After millions of years, immense pressures and temperatures in the star's core squeeze the nuclei of hydrogen atoms together to form helium, a process called nuclear fusion. Nuclear fusion releases energy, which heats the star and prevents it from further collapsing under the force of gravity.

The Stellar Power property of an object represents the rate that energy from stellar heating is absorbed by the object over time.

Answer: The primary energy source for a protostar is gravitational contraction, which converts gravitational potential energy into thermal energy, causing the protostar to shine without nuclear fusion.

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