All Metals Come From The Death Of Stars

I read somewhere once that many of the elements/materials on our planet could only have been created within the intense pressures of the death throes of a dying star.

Does that mean that we are all children of the stars (with bits of stars in our bodies)?

So when one looks at a gold ring or a lathe tool, it makes one wonder.

Oh, if only the elements could speak!

* Danny M *

We are stardust, we are golden
Billion year old carbon

Joni Mitchell, 1970.

(Often misquoted, that's the offical version, final chorus).

There was a BBC program on the universe which explained it, interesting stuff

At the beginning of the end most of a star is hydrogen/helium, and amazing forces forge these simple elements into more complex elements

.

Next time Mormons come knocking on the door I will ask them to explain it.

Nick

Here is an interesting bit of background on the subject **LINK**

I find it quite fascinating that many years ago (billions), before the start of known time, somewhere in an unknown galaxy massive stars imploded and ejected the materials that made us all.

Whenever I look at a lathe tool before grinding I think of the star that made the elements. I must be getting old and sentimental.

* Danny M *

So the next time someone posts requesting recommended metal stockist could we suggest the Crab Nebula :0)

Seriously as far as astronomers are concerned there is Hydrogen and Helium and anything else is considered as metal, a bit like early Chinese products really. Stars burning Hydrogen into Helium are low metalicity. When the hydrigen begins to run out if the star has enough mass it can start to fuse Helium and subsequently heavier elemants in the order helium, carbon, oxygen, neon, magnesium, silicon, sulfur, argon, calcium, titanium, chromium, and iron. One it gets to Iron and further fusion reaction is a net absorber of energy (endothermic) and the star collapses catastrophically. In the shock wave as the collapse hits the core all the other elements in the periodica table are synthesised and the Supernova blasts them out into the wider universe.

regards Martin

It isn't only metals that were made in stars anything above hydrogen helium and lithium in the periodic table) were made in stars that eventually exploded.

The big bang supposedly created the above 3 elements. But that theory (Bbg bang) has had to be propped up by so many ad hoc props that I believe it to be highly suspect.

Andrew.

Theoretically there may be metallic hydrogen towards the centre of Jupiter, but nobody has suggested mining it

Joni got it pretty right Neil. So long ago but like yesterday.

Look around. Anything that is not hydrogen or helium came from the core of a dead star.

* Danny M *

If you have not got anything better to do i am sure the wife can find some hoovering or a few jobs elsewhere for you if you ask-- Have you cut the grass yet ?????

I agree - that's why it's only a Theory. Lot's of evidence in support, but many awkward difficulties, not least what caused the Big Bang in the first place.

I'm sure you know this already, but others may find it interesting. About 1890 most reputable Scientists believed that Physics was 'finished', job done. Science had managed to quantify most of the natural world and expected the next step to consist of polishing the details. How wrong they were! When the few remaining unexplained phenomena were investigated, it became apparent that accepted theories were wrong. Photovoltaic activity, Black Hole Radiation, the source of the Sun's Energy, Astronomy, Atomic Structure and other examples could not be explained by Victorian Science.

Quantum Mechanics and Relativity provided better answers and insight during the 20th Century, but there's still a problem. With certain contradictions like being able to 'prove' by simple experiment that light is a wave, not particles, and also that light must be particles, not a wave, Newtonian mechanics describe the world on a human scale very well indeed. But Quantum Mechanics, which are very strange, are essential to describe the very small: atomic and sub-atomic. Meanwhile, Relativity, which is also peculiar, is needed to describe the very large: Suns, Solar Systems, Galaxies and the Universe etc. The painful truth is that these three views of our world, all of which work well aren't compatible with each other. Something is missing.

Another problem, which may not be related to the Quantum/Relativity scale paradox, is that various Astronomical observations do not support current Physical theory. In particular, in theory the Universe should contain a lot more energy and mass than we can detect. It's called Dark Energy and Dark Mass on the assumption that it exists but we can't see it because we've not looked properly. Unfortunately, persistent failure of many clever attempts to detect anything 'Dark' suggests that the Theory is wrong. If so, that means quite a lot of existing physics must also be wrong and that a major rethink will be needed.

Does it matter? Yes, it does. Much advanced technology depends on Quantum and Relativistic Physics. It's not that LED's, Lasers, and GPS will suddenly stop working if Physical Theory is proved wrong, rather a more accurate understanding of how the world works will open up new possibilities. Technology marches on. I'm baffled!

Dave

were made in stars that eventually exploded.

A very simplistic view,. Not all stars explode. Our Sun eill not. A star needs to be about 2 1/2 times the size of ours to end its life as a Super Nova. The Sun will become aa red giant and then shrivel to a white dwarf. It most certainly will not be just hydrogen and helium by then.

Why is it simplistic. It just means that the universe is seeded with heavy element by stars which did explode. That would be generally stars in excess of the Chandrasekhar Limit which is about 1.4 solar masses.

regards Martin

That's why you get sparks when you grind things. Little bits of star held tightly within the steel are released. And of course, the harder the metal, the tighter they are gripped, so soft metals like copper and lead don't include them.

Simple, really

Tim

The moon is made of cheese.

I actually read this as: "all metals come from the death star"