Is This Picture Really About the CNO Cycle?

[Stephanus]

Dear PF Forum,

Is this picture correct?
Or it is not CNO Cycle?
I get that video from this
Thanks for any answer

 

[Vagn]

The CNO cycle involves nitrogen rather than neon.

 

[Stephanus]

The CNO cycle involves nitrogen rather than neon.

Yep, I think it makes more sense.

Carbon -> Nitrogen -> Oxygen
12 -> 14 -> 16
But I've seen it twice if not three times on youtube on diferent videos.
So perhaps what they actually mean is alpha process?
Carbon + He4 -> Oxygen
Oxygen + He4 -> Neon?

Thanks

Steven

 

[Vagn]

Yep, I think it makes more sense.

Carbon -> Nitrogen -> Oxygen
12 -> 14 -> 16
But I've seen it twice if not three times on youtube on diferent videos.
So perhaps what they actually mean is alpha process?
Carbon + He4 -> Oxygen
Oxygen + He4 -> Neon?

Thanks

Steven

The CNO cycle produces ⁴He, not consumes it. There are intermediate stages involving neon in some variations of the CNO cycles, but these only occur at very high temperatures. The basic cycle is carbon>nitrogen>oxygen>carbon, the full reaction is given on the CNO cycle wiki page.

 

[Drakkith]

Is this picture correct?
Or it is not CNO Cycle?

That picture is not the CNO cycle, which, as Vagn pointed out, converts hydrogen to helium in a multi-step process.

So perhaps what they actually mean is alpha process?
Carbon + He4 -> Oxygen
Oxygen + He4 -> Neon?

Actually I think the picture is referring to the triple alpha process, then the carbon burning process, and then the neon burning process.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple-alpha_process
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon-burning_process
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neon-burning_process