nucleosynthesis

American  

[noo-klee-oh-sin-thuh-sis, nyoo-] / ˌnu kli oʊˈsɪn θə sɪs, ˌnyu- /

noun

Physics, Astronomy.

1. the formation of new atomic nuclei by nuclear reactions, thought to occur in the interiors of stars and in the early stages of development of the universe.

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nucleosynthesis British  

/ ˌnjuːklɪəʊˈsɪnθɪsɪs /

noun

1. astronomy the formation of heavier elements from lighter elements by nuclear fusion in stars

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nucleosynthesis Scientific  

/ no̅o̅′klē-ō-sĭn′thĭ-sĭs /

1. The process by which heavier chemical elements are synthesized in the interiors of stars from hydrogen nuclei and other previously synthesized elements. Precisely which elements are involved in nucleosynthesis depends on the age and mass of the star. The most prevalent reaction in smaller stars like our Sun is the fusion of hydrogen into helium by the proton-proton chain; in more massive stars this fusion occurs via the carbon cycle. When a star is burning hydrogen in its core, it is a main-sequence star. In older stars such as the red giants, nucleosynthesis involves the burning of heavier elements created by earlier fusion; for example, helium may burn via the triple alpha process. More massive stars—over eight solar masses—also fuse carbon into neon and magnesium, oxygen into silicon and sulfur, and silicon into iron. The nucleosynthesis of iron is the precursor to the transition into the supernova phase.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nucleosynthetic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of nucleosynthesis

First recorded in 1955–60; nucleo- + synthesis

Example Sentences

Heavy elements may result from this "nucleosynthesis"; in fact, half of the heavy isotopes up to bismuth and all of thorium and uranium in the universe may have been created by the r process.

From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2024

He said the key to charting the known universe’s path through time is in untangling a complex process known as stellar nucleosynthesis, and then deciphering the subatomic-level reactions inside that process.

From Salon • Jan. 26, 2024

Helium’s origins go back to just a few minutes after the big bang, when hydrogen, helium and a bit of lithium were produced during what is called big bang nucleosynthesis.

From Scientific American • Jul. 4, 2023

The neutron-rich environment of the progenitors suggests that r-process nucleosynthesis is the mechanism responsible for the elemental composition of the ejecta.

From Nature • Oct. 15, 2017

The low solar neutrino flux probably does not put our view of stellar nucleosynthesis in jeopardy, but it surely means something important.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan