Multiple Choice
Which of these features is true of both solar and wind power?
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9. Work & Energy
Intro to Energy & Kinetic Energy
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Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first videoMultiple Choice
Which process in stars is primarily responsible for the formation of elements in the universe?
A
Radioactive decay
B
Electromagnetic radiation
C
Nuclear fusion
D
Chemical bonding
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that stars are massive celestial bodies composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, undergoing various processes that lead to the formation of elements.
Recognize that nuclear fusion is the process where lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy in the process. This is the primary mechanism by which stars produce energy and synthesize new elements.
In the core of a star, extreme temperatures and pressures allow hydrogen nuclei (protons) to overcome their electrostatic repulsion and fuse together, forming helium and releasing energy. This is known as the proton-proton chain reaction in smaller stars like the Sun.
In more massive stars, the CNO cycle (carbon-nitrogen-oxygen cycle) becomes the dominant fusion process, where hydrogen is converted into helium with carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen acting as catalysts.
As stars evolve, they can produce heavier elements through successive fusion reactions, such as helium fusing into carbon, oxygen, and eventually iron in the most massive stars. This process of nucleosynthesis is responsible for the formation of many elements in the universe.
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