Prelim Star Nuclear Reaction Help (1 Viewer)

[cutemouse]

Hi guys,

Basically the prelim year is over, and my teacher who is clueless about anything set us this 'Assignment' to complete over the holidays, and basically we haven't done anything about this crap, and I don't want to learn it as I have bigger and better things to be worried about (ie HSC).

I've done other questions except this one, so I hope you guys can help me with this, and if it's worth learning for HSC please do let me know, and I will learn it!

So here's the question:

In certain starts the following nuclear reactions take place:

(12/6)C + (1/1)H --> (13/7)N + gamma

(13/7)N --> (13/6)C + (0/+1)e + gamma

(13/6) + (1/1)H --> (14/7)N + gamma

(14/7)N + (1/1)H --> (15/8)O + gamma

(15/8)O + (15/7)N + (0/+1)e + gamma

(15/7)N + (1/1)N --> (12/6)C + (4/2)He

a) What is the end result of all these reactions?

b) What purpose does the carbon serve?

c) These reactions consitute the so-called carbon cycle (more correctly the carbon-nitrogen-oxygen or CNO cycle). What other cycle of nuclear reactions commonly takes place in stars?

d) Which cycle predominates at temperatures greater than 1.8*10⁷K?

Thanks,

Jason

 

[Continuum]

So here's the question:

In certain starts the following nuclear reactions take place:

(12/6)C + (1/1)H --> (13/7)N + gamma

(13/7)N --> (13/6)C + (0/+1)e + gamma

(13/6) + (1/1)H --> (14/7)N + gamma

(14/7)N + (1/1)H --> (15/8)O + gamma

(15/8)O + (15/7)N + (0/+1)e + gamma

(15/7)N + (1/1)N --> (12/6)C + (4/2)He

a) What is the end result of all these reactions?

b) What purpose does the carbon serve?

c) These reactions consitute the so-called carbon cycle (more correctly the carbon-nitrogen-oxygen or CNO cycle). What other cycle of nuclear reactions commonly takes place in stars?

d) Which cycle predominates at temperatures greater than 1.8*10⁷K?

Thanks,

Jason

a) Carbon, helium, neutrinos, positrons and gamma radiation (in other words, a crapload of energy, mainly from the fact positrons are antimatter and are converted to pure energy when combined with matter)
b) Acts as a nuclear catalyst for the CNO cycle. Since its produced as a product, it gives the process its cyclical nature.
c) Proton-proton chain reaction
d) CNO cycle, which occur at higher temperatures.

 

[davidbarnes]

I never learnt that.

 

[cutemouse]

Neither did I... hahaha!