Faulkes Telescope Educational Guide - Stars

Structure of Stars

Stars begin their life as large spheres of almost pure hydrogen. Throughout their lifetime they generate energy through nuclear fusion. This begins in solar-mass stars with a process called the proton-proton chain, which converts hydrogen into helium. Two hydrogen atoms combine to form one helium atom, but the mass of the helium atom is slightly less than the combined mass of the two hydrogen atoms that created it. This mass loss is released as energy and the energy released can be calculated using the formula E=mc² where E is the energy released, m is the mass loss and c is the speed of light in a vacuum.

The fusion process leaves a core of helium surrounded by an envelope of hydrogen. As the fusion process continues, the helium core becomes larger and more dense. Whilst the star is “burning” hydrogen it is said to be on the Main Sequence.

In stars like our Sun, this is where the process ends and the star will retain this structure until the end of its lifetime. In more massive stars, however, the density of the helium core becomes so great that the temperature becomes high enough to start a new fusion process.

This new process 'burns' helium to create carbon. This leaves a carbon core, surrounded by helium, which is then surrounded by a burning hydrogen shell and a hydrogen envelope.

If the star is massive enough, a similar process will happen again and carbon will begin to fuse into oxygen. The process will continue as long as the core of the star becomes hot enough to begin each new fusion process, or until iron is created.

The structure of a high mass star just before the end of its life

The structure of the star will then look like an onion, with iron in the centre, surrounded by silicon, surrounded by oxygen, then carbon, helium and finally hydrogen. At each boundary there will be a burning front where the fusion reactions are still taking place.

The fusion process will be stopped at iron because it is no longer energetically viable for the fusion process to take place. This can be seen as iron is at the top of the binding energy curve. The effect of fusion up to this point has been to release energy, but energy would need to be added to fuse iron into higher elements.

		Stars Introduction
		Stars - An Overview
		The Sun
		Stellar Evolution
		Variable Stars
		Objects to Observe with the Faulkes Telescope

Authors: Carolyn Brinkworth and Claire Thomas

Last updated: July 2001