Star Composition & Life Cycle

• Cosmology studies the origin and evolution of the universe.
• Big Bang Theory states the universe began from an infinitely hot, dense single point that inflated and stretched.
• Nucleosynthesis is the process creating new atomic nuclei from pre-existing nucleons, primarily protons and neutrons.
• An Isotope is the same element but with a different amount of neutrons.
• Deuterium is a hydrogen isotope containing one proton and one neutron in its nucleus.
• Georges Lemaitre proposed the Big Bang Theory.
• Black holes and neutron stars form from supernova star explosions.
• A planetary nebula forms when a red giant sheds its cosmic dust and gas outer layer.
• Main sequence stars includes average stars and massive stars.
• Proton-Proton Chain is a process by which stars fuse hydrogen into helium.
• Singularity contains all time, space, matter, and energy in the universe.

Era

• Radiation Era
• Matter Era

Epoch from Radiation Era

• Plank
• Grand Unification.
• Inflationary
• Hadron
• Quark
• Nuclear
• Lepton
• Electro Weak

Epoch from Matter Era

• Atomic Epoch
• Galactic Epoch
• Stellar Epoch
• Cosmic Inflation expanded rapidly in nothingness through a rapid but peaceful process.

Proof of the Big Bang Theory

• Redshift shows that the light from galaxies is redshifted, indicating they are moving away from one another.
• Blueshift is a frequency of energy where the spectrum is displaced to shorter wavelengths from celestial objects moving toward the observer.
• Relative Abundance of Light Elements states about 24% of the universe's ordinary matter is helium, 74% is hydrogen, and 2% are other elements.
• Cosmic Microwave Background was left over from recombination, where atoms became neutral as nuclei and electrons bound, and radiation began to scatter.
• Light elements such as Hydrogen (H), Helium (He), and Lithium (Li) formed during the Big Bang.
• Nebulae are vast clouds of dust and gas primarily composed of hydrogen and helium.
• Nebulae are known as star nurseries due to new stars forming within them.
• A protostar is a hot core formed at the heart of a collapsing cloud due to gravitational forces clumping dust and gas together.
• A planetary nebula is forms from the cast-off outer layers of a dying star.
• A supernova occurs when a star reaches the end of its life and explodes emitting a brilliant burst of light.
• White dwarfs are the small extremely dense, solid core remnant after red giant stars expel their outer gaseous layers.
• Neutron stars are incredibly dense, where a single teaspoon weighs a billion tons. Their gravity causes protons and electrons to fuse into neutrons.
• Supernova is when a star reaches end of its life and explodes brilliantly, marking the explosion of a massive star.
• Core Collapsing happens in stars with more than 8 times the sun's mass which then collapse.
• Molecular clouds are the starting point for a star's life, mainly composed of hydrogen and helium gases.
• Positrons and neutrinos are part of the star formation theory, which stops increasing pressure and contraction.

Elements Heavier than BE

• Boron (B)
• Carbon(C)
• Nitrogen (N)
• Oxygen(O)
• The Sun began as a giant cloud of dust and gas.
• Protons have a positive electric charge.
• The Nuclear Force brings protons and neutrons together with the right combination.
• Beta Decay causes protons and neutrons to switch identities.
• A proton-proton chain reaction is one way stars fuse hydrogen into helium.
• CNO Cycle is a catalytic process requiring carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen for abundance in stellar material.
• Triple Alpha Process involves three alpha particles fusing in stars, creating carbon with six protons and six neutrons.
• In the Alpha Ladder, more alpha particles fuse, creating heavier elements up to iron.
• S-PROCESS (slow-neutron-capture-process) is a nucleosynthesis process at low neutron density and moderate temperatures
• The R-PROCESS is a rapid neutron-capture process responsible for creating approximately half of the atomic nuclei heavier than iron.
• Stars are mostly made up of hydrogen and helium, densely packed to initiate nuclear fusion reactions.
• The Fusion Reaction in stars and the sun involves two light nuclei merging, forming a heavier nucleus and releasing energy.
• Synthetic elements do not naturally occur on Earth and can only be artificially created.
• Synthetic elements are radioactive which decay into lighter elements
• These elements only occur with atomic bombs or experiments/ nuclear reactors or particle accelerators
• A nuclear reactor produces and controls nuclear chain reactions through fission which generates heat to produce electricity.
• A particle accelerator speeds up and channels charged particles into a beam, gathering information on atoms, molecules, and the laws of physics.

Elements

• Americium (Am) is a silvery, radioactive metal used in smoke alarms.
• Curium (Cm) named after Marie and Pierre Curie, is used as a fuel for Radioisotope Thermal Generators and is toxic.
• Berkelium (Bk) is used in synthesizing heavier elements such as tennessine.
• Californium (Cf) is used in portable metal detectors and for identifying water and oil layers in oil wells.
• Einsteinium (Es) is mainly used in scientific studies related to radiation damage.
• Seaborgium (Sg) is used only for basic scientific research.
• Rutherfordium (Rf) does not have a commercial use and is only used in research.
• Roentgenium (Rg) is used for research to study its properties and create heavier elements.
• Bohrium (Bh) has no known uses outside of research and is used to study its physical properties and synthesize isotopes.
• Darmstadtium (Ds) is an extremely radioactive synthetic element with no current uses outside of basic scientific research.