Nucleosynthesis

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Nucleosynthesis is the creation of new atomic nuclei, the centers of atoms that are made up of protons and neutrons. Nucleosynthesis first occurred within a few minutes of the Big Bang. At that time, a quark-gluon plasma, a soup of particles known as quarks and gluons, condensed into protons and neutrons. After the universe cooled slightly, the neutrons fused with protons to make nuclei of deuterium, an isotope of hydrogen. Deuterium nuclei then combined to make helium. Further reactions between protons, neutrons, and different isotopes of helium produced lithium. The hydrogen and helium produced during this phase of the universe eventually created the universe’s first massive stars.

Since then, the nuclear reactions in the life and death of stars have formed most of the other nuclei in the universe. Stars can create nuclei through two processes: either by combining two smaller nuclei (called fusion) or breaking a larger nucleus into multiple nuclei (called fission). Both ways result in new atoms.

  1. US Department of Energy
  2. The Hindu
  3. NASA
  4. "How did the elemental composition of the universe evolve?" - NASA

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