How do we account for all the elements in the Universe?

[CramerTV]

Hi all,

New to the forum - first post.

I've wondered for a while how all the elements were able to be created given the timeline of the universe.

If the solar system is ~5billion years old and the universe is 14 billion years old that means that all of the elements of the solar system would have been created in ~9 billion years.

I've read that all of the higher numbered elements (above iron) were created in supernovae and that a star must have a mass 4 or 5 times times the sun in order to become a supernova.

Further, a star 4 to 5 times the mass of the sun probably has a lifetime of somewhere between 100 million years to 1 billion years.

Also the milky way, is ~13 billion years old.

First, how many supernovae would have been needed to create all the elements (in sufficient quantity) to create our solar system (including the sun) (assuming an "average" sized supernova)? Would just one do it? Meaning could one supernova of say 10 solar masses created enough elements to form our solar system and when it exploded in every direction and enough of that material coalesced into our solar system?

Second, how many supernovae would be needed to create all the elements in our galaxy? I'm assuming our galaxy started with enough energy and light elements to create stars and start the process of creating heavier elements.

Lastly, is there any way to determine where our solar system came from? Obviously at least one supernova created all the higher elements found on the Earth so do we know 'where' that supernova was about 6 billion years ago?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Mark M]

Hi all,

New to the forum - first post.

I've wondered for a while how all the elements were able to be created given the timeline of the universe.

If the solar system is ~5billion years old and the universe is 14 billion years old that means that all of the elements of the solar system would have been created in ~9 billion years.

I've read that all of the higher numbered elements (above iron) were created in supernovae and that a star must have a mass 4 or 5 times times the sun in order to become a supernova.

Further, a star 4 to 5 times the mass of the sun probably has a lifetime of somewhere between 100 million years to 1 billion years.

Also the milky way, is ~13 billion years old.

First, how many supernovae would have been needed to create all the elements (in sufficient quantity) to create our solar system (including the sun) (assuming an "average" sized supernova)? Would just one do it? Meaning could one supernova of say 10 solar masses created enough elements to form our solar system and when it exploded in every direction and enough of that material coalesced into our solar system?

Second, how many supernovae would be needed to create all the elements in our galaxy? I'm assuming our galaxy started with enough energy and light elements to create stars and start the process of creating heavier elements.

Lastly, is there any way to determine where our solar system came from? Obviously at least one supernova created all the higher elements found on the Earth so do we know 'where' that supernova was about 6 billion years ago?

Thanks in advance!

Hi Cramer,

The light elements such as hydrogen, helium, lithium, etc. were produced in the nucleosynthesis following the big bang. All of the heavy elements were, as you said, produced in supernovae.

For the formation and evolution of the solar system, this should be good:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formation_and_evolution_of_the_Solar_System

 

[Chronos]

Supernova appear to have been very common in the early universe. Many of these early stars were incredibly massive and probably only lived a handful of million years before detonating, so heavy element abundance is unsurprising. Most of the heavy elements found on Earth were probably generated by second and third generation stars.

 

[DaveC426913]

Most of the heavy elements found on Earth were probably generated by second and third generation stars.

I thought only pop II would generate the really heavy elements. Pop III would generate only the lighter ones, up to Fe or so. Guess I should get some facts on that.

 

[sardar]

I can provide an explanation for how all the elements in the Universe were created. First, it is important to understand that the Universe is constantly expanding and evolving. This means that the elements we have today may not have existed in the same form billions of years ago. The process of creating elements is known as nucleosynthesis and it occurs through various processes such as fusion, fission, and cosmic ray spallation.

The majority of the elements in the Universe were formed in the first few minutes after the Big Bang. During this time, the Universe was extremely hot and dense, allowing for the fusion of protons and neutrons to form the lightest elements such as hydrogen and helium. As the Universe continued to expand and cool, these elements combined to form more complex elements such as carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen.

However, the heavier elements (those above iron) were formed through a different process. As you mentioned, these elements were created in supernovae explosions. When a star with a mass greater than 4-5 times that of our sun reaches the end of its life, it undergoes a supernova explosion, releasing a tremendous amount of energy and creating new elements through fusion reactions.

To answer your first question, it is possible for one supernova to create enough elements to form our solar system, but it is more likely that multiple supernovae contributed to the elements that make up our solar system. The exact number of supernovae needed is difficult to determine because the amount of material that is ejected during a supernova varies.

As for your second question, it is estimated that there have been approximately 50 supernovae in our galaxy in the past 100 years. However, our galaxy has been around for much longer than that, so it is likely that many more supernovae have occurred over time to create all the elements we see today.

Lastly, it is difficult to determine the exact origin of our solar system, but scientists believe that it formed from a cloud of gas and dust that was enriched with elements from previous generations of stars. This material was then pulled together by gravity to form our sun and planets. We may never know the exact supernova that contributed to the elements in our solar system, but we can study the composition of the elements and compare it to known supernovae to get a better understanding of their origins.

I hope this explanation helps to address your questions and provide a better understanding of how all the elements in