Stellar Nucleosynthesis
Stars are cosmic forges where lighter elements fuse into heavier ones,
releasing enormous energy. This process creates all elements up to iron.
Proton-Proton Chain
4¹H → ⁴He + 2e⁺ + 2νₑ + γ
Energy: 26.7 MeV
Fusion Processes
Elements Produced
Binding Energy per Nucleon
Iron-56 has maximum binding energy per nucleon.
Fusion releases energy up to Fe; beyond requires energy input.