This section is part of the HSC Physic syllabus Module 8: From the Universe to the Atom.
In this post we will investigate the types of nucleosynthesis reactions involved in Main Sequence and Post-Main Sequence stars including:
- Proton-proton chains
- CNO (carbon-nitrogen-oxygen) cycle
Proton-Proton Chains
Proton-proton chains is the fusion of four protons into a single ordinary helium nucleus.
The CNO Cycle
The ‘CNO cycle’ refers to the Carbon-Nitrogen-Oxygen cycle. This is a process of stellar nucleosynthesis where stars from the Main Sequence fuse hydrogen into helium via a six-stage sequence of reactions.
