Elements of the Universe

The Origins of the Elements

  1. Where are elements created?
  2. How are heavier elements created from hydrogen and helium?
  3. What evidence do scientist use to tell which elements are released when supernova explodes?
  4. How do the elements in the atmosphere of a supernova help scientists identify types of supernovas?

The Elements: Forged in Stars

  1. How does a star get its energy to glow?
  2. What elements make up young stars?
  3. What causes a star to become a supernova?
  4. Why do you think it takes a tremendous amount of heat and pressure to create helium (and then carbon, etc.)?
  5. What could you infer about the age of a star if you were to find evidence of iron being present?

Where Did the Matter in the Universe Come From?

Big Bang

  • The Big Bang refers to
  • Next the universe begins to
  • Gravity causes to form. The first and most basic elements, and form.
  • As the cloud of hot gas cools fuse with the basic elements (hydrogen and helium) to make .

Nebula

  • Nebula:
  • Some nebulae are also “stellar nurseries” which means it is
  • Next, begin to form and are formed.

Fusion

  • Fusion:
  • Where does fusion take place?
  • The big bang only createdand , nuclear fusion in stars creates elements from helium all the way up to .
  • Stars begin by fusing hydrogen into helium, and continue fusing . Fusion continues until is formed.

Death of Stars

  • Eventually the star runs out of and the star’s core collapses.
  • The collapse results in the giant explosion called a .
  • Nuclear fusion in stars creates elements from to, the rest of the elements are formed during .

•Almost all of the elements in the universe originated in stars or during a star's death. But some elements do not come from stars.

•Scientists have added additional to the periodic table by them in labs.

The Role of Gravity

•The outward pressure generated from counteract the inward force of gravity.

•As the star becomes a it begins to yield to gravity and .

•When the core becomes only , it has nothing left to fuse and The star gives into gravity and collapses in an explosion.

Planets

•As the star becomes a it begins to yield to gravity and.

•When the core becomes only , it has nothing left to fuse and . The star gives into gravity and collapses in an explosion.

•Everything in the universe is made of the because they all have a .