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We start with a nebula.
In this nebula, there are Hydrogen-1 nuclei.
Each point of fire represents one atomic mass unit throughout this performance.
fire dots = either a proton or a neutron
The gas begins to collect...
… and grows to be a bigger mass!
Bigger masses collect to form even bigger masses.
Eventually, enough mass comes together to form…
A star!
Fusion begins.
The most common fusion process in the star is the proton-proton chain reaction.
We will follow the pp1 branch of the p+ p+ chain.
It begins with one Hydrogen-1 nucleus. One simple proton.
Look, there is another proton!
The two protons are close, but is there enough energy to fuse?
Yes! And a Hydrogen-2 nucleus is formed! (as well as a positron and neutrino)
Hydrogen-2 is also known as Deuterium. It has one proton and one neutron.
A Hydrogen-1 nuclei is coming closer to the Deuterium…
Helium-3 is formed! (as well as a gamma ray)
Doesn’t science make you feel all warm?
Maybe it was the 5.49MeV of energy released during that last reaction...
Or the fire.
Another Helium-3 nuclei appears!
The two Helium-3 nuclei are coming near…
Two Helium-3 nuclei combine to form Helium-4! And release two protons.
Helium-4 really is pretty.
This is the end of the proton-proton chain reaction, but not the end of fusion in the star.
Higher elements are formed through other fusion processes.
The atomic mass number is increasing.
In the future, when our not-so-little star runs out of fuel for fusion...
...the mass will be dispersed again when...
A supernova occurs!
But this time, the mass is made of higher elements, including the building blocks for life.