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Earth and Space Science

ESS1 3 Stars Producing Elements

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Origin of the elements NASA PD Larger version link

ESS1-3

Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce elements.


Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the way nucleosynthesis, and therefore the different elements created, varies as a function of the mass of a star and the stage of its lifetime.

Assessment Boundary: Details of the many different nucleosynthesis pathways for stars of differing masses are not assessed.

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Printable activity 2
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Elements from STARS PREVIEW ACTIVITY 2

 

 Vocab:

the Periodic Table

element

massive star

white dwarf

red giant

supernova

proton

neutron

nucleon

nuclear fission

 

Beryllium is made in stars like our Sun, but very little remains—why/how do you think the beryllium disappears?

 

Print a blank Periodic Table,

Use this Lumen Learning Massive Star source and use the information from the coloured Periodic Table on left about massive stars

Put in the symbols for the elements in the correct position on the Periodic Table that are made in stars like our Sun (massive stars).

 

What element does it stop at--what is the heaviest element made in stars like our Sun?

Give your ideas why massive stars do not make heavier elements.

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Elements up to the atomic mass of iron are formed in stars NASA PD

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Elements heavier than iron (atomic number > 26) are formed in super nova NASA PD

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