Department of Education

Region IV-A (CALABARZON)

Division of San Pablo City
SAN CRISTOBAL INTEGRATED HIGH SCHOOL
San Pablo City
Science Lesson Learning Resources
Guided Discovery Approach
Quarter 1 – Module 1:
Formation of Heavy Elements
Most Essential Learning Competency
 Give evidence for and describe the formation of heavier elements during star formation and
evolution
Stellar Nucleosynthesis: Rise of the Stars!
Objectives
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. explain stellar nucleosynthesis:
2. describe the different stages of life cycle of stars:
3. cite the different heavy elements formed in each stage of star cycle:
4. describe how heavier elements formed during stellar nucleosynthesis and
evolution.
Task Setting
Reaching the top
Directions: Answer the following open-ended questions at the end of the lesson
Note: This series of questions will serve as a guide for what you should learn by the end of the
lesson.
Describe how each heavy element are formed at each
stage of the star's life cycle.
5
G What are the heavy elements formed in each stage of
4 the star’s life cycle?
O
A 3 Describe the different stages of life cycle of star.
L
2 What are the different stages of life cycle of star?

1
Define stellar nucleosynthesis
 Department of Education
Region IV-A (CALABARZON)
Division of San Pablo City
SAN CRISTOBAL INTEGRATED HIGH SCHOOL
San Pablo City
Collaboration
Activity 1: Study buddy time
Directions: Watch and analyze the video provided in your Digital module. Each group should create a
word bank for their study buddies. The group's leader will collect five words with definitions from each
group member, which will be used in activities 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3.

Activity 1.1: Statement completion

Stellar nucleosynthesis is the process by which __________are created within stars by combining
the ________ and _________ together from the nuclei of _____________. All of the atoms in the
universe began as_________. __________ inside stars transforms hydrogen into ____________,
____________, and ___________. Heavier elements are created in different types of stars as they
___________.

Activity 1.2: Complete the table

Description
Stage in the life cycle of stars
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
 Department of Education
Region IV-A (CALABARZON)
Division of San Pablo City
SAN CRISTOBAL INTEGRATED HIGH SCHOOL
San Pablo City
Activity 1.3: Complete the concept map
 Department of Education
Region IV-A (CALABARZON)
Division of San Pablo City
SAN CRISTOBAL INTEGRATED HIGH SCHOOL
San Pablo City
Monitoring/ Scaffolding

Stages of star life cycle and the nuclear fusion reaction

The diagram shows the Proton-Proton Chain reaction in main sequence star. This is the
process by which average star gets their energy and convert Hydrogen into Helium. It starts with
proton and neutron fused together to form deuterium. When one proton collides with deuterium,
Helium-3 is formed. Two Helium-3 collided will form Helium-4.

Case is different in massive star or star eight times larger than solar mass. They undergo
CNO (Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen) cycle to convert Hydrogen into Helium. You can see at the right
how Carbon 12 fused with proton (H) and form Nitrogen-13. Nitrogen-13 undergoes beta decay to
form Carbon-13. Carbon13 captures proton (H) and Nitrogen 14 is formed. Nitrogen 14 captures
proton and Oxygen-15 is produced. Oxygen-15 undergoes beta decay and produces Nitrogen-15.
Nitrogen-15 fused with proton gives off Helium and ends up with Carbon-12. Then the process
repeats again.
 Department of Education
Region IV-A (CALABARZON)
Division of San Pablo City
SAN CRISTOBAL INTEGRATED HIGH SCHOOL
San Pablo City
Tri alpha process happens in red giant star once they leave the stage of main sequence star. This is
how three Helium-4 are converted into Carbon.

A star accumulates more mass and continues to grow into red super giant. Alpha particle fusion
happens at its core and creates more heavy elements until Iron. This is known as the Alpha ladder
process.

Neutron Capture
a neutron is added to a seed nucleus. Below is the representation of how neutron is captured, and
heavier nucleus is formed.
 Department of Education
Region IV-A (CALABARZON)
Division of San Pablo City
SAN CRISTOBAL INTEGRATED HIGH SCHOOL
San Pablo City

Neutron capture can be slow or rapid;

a. S-process or slow process happens when there is a
slow rate of capturing neutron while there is a faster
rate of radioactive decay hence increasing the proton
by 1.

b. R-process or rapid process means that there is faster

rate of capturing neutron before it undergoes
radioactive decay thus, more neutrons can be
combined at the nucleus. This is what happens in a
supernova forming heavier elements than Iron with
the process known as supernova nucleosynthesis.

Activity 2: Check your Knowledge

Directions: Were you able to label all the stages of star? Review the video in the previous activity.
You will notice that following the sequence will reveal what happens in each stage of star. To
understand further, answer the following questions below.
1. What element from space is pulled by gravity and turn into a protostar?
______________________________________________________________________
2. What will happen if a low massive main sequence star runs out of hydrogen fuel?
_______________________________________________________________________
3. How are heavy elements such as Carbon, Oxygen and Neon formed during star formation?
_______________________________________________________________________
4. Why is it impossible for any matter such as light and radiation to escape from a black hole?
________________________________________________________________________
5. Why do you think massive star has shorter life span than average star?
________________________________________________________________________
 Department of Education
Region IV-A (CALABARZON)
Division of San Pablo City
SAN CRISTOBAL INTEGRATED HIGH SCHOOL
San Pablo City
Activity 3: Build Your Own Atom
Using Phet Interactive Simulations, virtually recreate how stars form into different stages as a result of
heavy element nuclear fusion (the combination of nuclei to form a heavier one). Phet Simulations are
demonstrated in the video you downloaded to your electronic tablet. Create a brief video that
discusses one stage of the star's life cycle and the nuclear fusion reaction.

Link: Build an Atom - Atoms | Atomic Structure | Isotope Symbols - PhET Interactive Simulations (colorado.edu)

Activity 3.1: Match the terms in Column A with its description in Column B

Column A Column B

________1. Alpha ladder process A. There is faster rate of capturing neutron before it
undergoes radioactive decay
________2. Big bang nucleosynthesis B. Nuclear fusion that happens in red super giant star
and creates more heavy elements until Iron.
________3. CNO cycle C. Happens when there is a slow rate of capturing
neutron while there is a faster rate of radioactive decay
________4. Neutron capture D. Process wherein light elements such as Helium and
Hydrogen form.
________5. Proton- proton chain E. This is how three Helium-4 is converted into Carbon
in red giant star
________6. R- process F. A process where elements heavier than Iron are
formed.
________7. S- process G. Nuclear fusion reaction where Hydrogen is converted
to Helium
________8. Stellar Nucleosynthesis H. Addition of neutron to form heavier nuclei
________9.Supernova Nucleosynthesis I. Process by which elements are created within the star
________10. Tri alpha process J. This happens in massive star which convert Hydrogen
into Helium.
 Department of Education
Region IV-A (CALABARZON)
Division of San Pablo City
SAN CRISTOBAL INTEGRATED HIGH SCHOOL
San Pablo City

Consolidating
Activity 4: Reaching the top
Directions: On this activity, you will see Steps with the topic/questions written on its side. Fill out the
parts of the steps with all the concepts you have learned in this module.

Describe how each heavy element are formed at each stage of

the star's life cycle.
___________________________________________________
5 ___________________________________________________
4
___________________________________________________
3

2
What are the heavy elements formed in each stage of the star’s life
1 4 cycle?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

3
Describe the different stages of life cycle of star.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2

What are the different stages of life cycle of star?

__________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
1

Define stellar nucleosynthesis

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________