Are We Made of “Star Stuff”?
Stars are born out of clouds of interstellar dust and gas. Most of the material is hydrogen gas. Stars act as big nuclear furnaces that burn this hydrogen and turn it into other elements by various processes. Once this hydrogen is used up, most stars die out through differing processes, but they all expel new material into space as a byproduct of their demise. This byproduct eventually gets caught up in the formation of new stars, planets, moons, and organisms. This cycle continues over and over again.
The stellar remnants of massive stars that produce supernovas appear to be essential for complex life forms. Nearly all of the elements on the periodic table with atomic weights heavier than iron are only made in the final death throes of very massive stars. In this sense, as Carl Sagan (1973, p. 190) said, we are all made of “star stuff.”
Respond to the following topics for this discussion:
•Explain what the term “star stuff” means to you.
•Describe what it tells us about the origin of atoms in our bodies and in the world.
•Describe how stellar explosions feed the universe with atoms and molecules that are necessary for life.
•Describe some of the compounds in the human body that would not be possible without these larger atoms.
Please complete the following in your post:
1.Refer to and integrate ideas presented in the text and supplemental readings.
2.Cite outside resources if necessary to make your point.
3.Follow APA style rules for citations and references.
You will be evaluated on how well you demonstrate your understanding of the ideas presented throughout the unit, including assigned readings, discussions, and independent investigations. You will also be evaluated on the quality of your work: its academic rigor, how well it shows your ability to think critically, and how completely it covers the questions asked.
Reference
Sagan, C. (1973). The cosmic connection: An extraterrestrial perspective. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press
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