how elements are formed
How were the elements in the universe formed? This question has perplexed scientists and ordinary people alike. From hydrogen to uranium, the formation of elements has gone through a long process of cosmic evolution. This article will combine the hot topics and hot content in the past 10 days to reveal the origin of elements for you in the form of structured data.
1. The Big Bang and the formation of light elements
According to the Big Bang theory, only the lightest elements existed at the beginning of the universe: hydrogen, helium and a small amount of lithium. These elements were formed in the first minutes of the universe through the process of nucleosynthesis. Here are data on element abundances in the early universe:
| element | relative abundance | Formation time |
|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen(H) | about 75% | Within 1 second after the birth of the universe |
| Helium (He) | about 25% | 3-20 minutes after the birth of the universe |
| Lithium (Li) | Very small amount | Within 20 minutes after the birth of the universe |
2. Synthesis of elements inside stars
Heavier elements are produced primarily through the process of nuclear fusion inside stars. Different types of stars produce different elements at different stages:
| star type | Main synthetic elements | Temperature requirements |
|---|---|---|
| main sequence star | Carbon (C), Oxygen (O) | More than 15 million K |
| red giant star | Neon (Ne), magnesium (Mg) | More than 100 million K |
| supernova | Iron (Fe) and heavier elements | More than 3 billion K |
3. Supernova explosion and formation of heavy elements
Elements heavier than iron are produced primarily through extreme astrophysical processes such as supernova explosions and neutron star mergers. Recent astronomical observations confirm this:
| element | Main formation process | energy required |
|---|---|---|
| Gold(Au) | Neutron star merger | extremely high |
| Uranium(U) | supernova explosion | extremely high |
| Platinum (Pt) | r-process nucleosynthesis | extremely high |
4. Distribution of elements on the earth
The abundance of elements on Earth reflects the history of elemental synthesis in the universe. The following are the abundances of the major elements in the Earth's crust:
| element | Crust abundance (%) | primary source |
|---|---|---|
| Oxygen(O) | 46.6 | stellar nucleosynthesis |
| Silicon (Si) | 27.7 | stellar nucleosynthesis |
| Aluminum (Al) | 8.1 | stellar nucleosynthesis |
| Iron(Fe) | 5.0 | supernova explosion |
5. Recent popular research progress
In the past 10 days, scientists have made some important progress in the study of element formation:
| Date | research institute | Discover content |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-10 | NASA | Signals of heavy elements produced by neutron star mergers observed |
| 2023-11-15 | CERN | Successfully synthesized element No. 119 |
| 2023-11-18 | Chinese Academy of Sciences | Discover new nucleosynthetic pathways |
6. Timeline of Element Formation
In order to understand more clearly the process of element formation, we have sorted out the main time nodes of element formation in the universe:
| time | event | elements that form |
|---|---|---|
| 0-3 minutes | big bang nucleosynthesis | H, He, Li |
| 100 million years later | first generation star formation | C, O, Ne |
| 10 billion years later | supernova explosion | Fe and heavier elements |
| 13.8 billion years later | modern universe | all known elements |
Conclusion
From the Big Bang to modern stars, the formation of elements has gone through a long and complex process. Understanding the origin of elements not only helps us understand the evolutionary history of the universe, but also provides an important foundation for fields such as materials science and nuclear physics. With the advancement of observation technology, scientists are constantly uncovering new chapters in the mystery of the formation of elements.
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