Lesson: Fusion in Stars Physics

Students will be able to

• recall that hydrogen is the main “fuel” used in fusion,
• recall that hydrogen is the most common element in the universe,
• recall that after a while, stars will start to fuse helium and then lithium,
• understand the balanced forces within a star,
• understand that fusion only happens in the core of a star, where the pressure and temperature are great enough,
• understand that fusion in main sequence stars does not produce any element heavier than iron, because to do so would not release energy, but would absorb it,
• understand that heavier elements are only produced in supernovae.