Recent content by supersam

Okay - looks like I might have been getting ahead of myself. So the Helium "burning" starts due to huge temperatures when the core of the star collapses. Which in turn creates Beryllium and then Carbon. However I am still not exactly sure how the 10^8K value is determined. I can understand that...

I wouldn't say that is correct in Europe. In the UK you can do 3 years undergrad and then go straight through to phd for another 3-3.5. It's just much more common to do a combined 4years MPhys undergraduate degree. So realistically you could do it in 6 years in the UK.

Homework Statement Explain why stage 1 and 2 of the triple alpha process will not being until the core Temp of the star is around 10^8K. Homework Equations 4He+4He = 8Be (step 1) 8Be+4He = 12C (Step 2) The Attempt at a Solution I "think" I need to work out the nuclear energies... However I...