Question

What heavier element is created when hydrogen atoms fuse together in the sun’s core?

Answer 1

Helium is created from hydrogen in the sun's core.

Four hydrogen-1 nuclei fuse to produce

• one helium-4 nucleus, two neutrons,
• two positrons, and
• two electron neutrinos.

Step-by-step explanation:

Step One:

`{\rm ^1_1 H + ^1_1 H\to ^2_1 H + e^(+)} + v_e`.

Two hydrogen-1 nuclei fuse. One proton will convert to a neutron. The products will be

• one hydrogen-2 nucleus,
• one positron, and
• one electron neutrino.

Step Two:

`\rm ^1_1 H +^2_1 H \to ^3_2 He`.

There are plenty of hydrogen-1 nuclei available in the core of the sun. The hydrogen-2 nucleus from step one will fuse with a hydrogen-1 nucleus. The product is

• one helium-3 nucleus.

Step Three

`\rm ^3_2 He + ^3_2 He \to ^4_2 He + ^1_1 H + ^1_1 H`.

Two helium-3 nuclei from step two react with each other. The products are:

• one helium-4 nucleus, and
• two hydrogen-1 nuclei.

The overall reaction will be:

`{\rm 6\; ^1_1 H \to ^4_2 He + 2\; ^1_1 H+2\; e^(+)}+v_\text{e}`.

`{\rm 4\; ^1_1 H \to ^4_2 He + 2\; e^(+)} + v_\text{e}`

In other words, hydrogen nuclei in the core of the sun fuse together to form helium.