Physical Science

Quarter 3 – Module1:
The Formation of Heavier
Elements during Star Formation
and Evolution

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Introductory Message
This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is prepared so that you, our dear learners,
can continue your studies and learn while at home. Activities, questions, directions,
exercises, and discussions are carefully stated for you to understand each lesson.

Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you step-by-
step as you discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.

Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge on lessons in each

SLM. This will tell you if you need to proceed on completing this module or if you
need to ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for better understanding of
the lesson. At the end of each module, you need to answer the post-test to self-check
your learning. Answer keys are provided for each activity and test. We trust that you
will be honest in using these.

In addition to the material in the main text, Notes to the Teacher are also
provided to our facilitators and parents for strategies and reminders on how they can
best help you on your home-based learning.

Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on any part
of this SLM. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises and tests. And
read the instructions carefully before performing each task.

If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering the
tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.

Thank you.

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 What I Need to Know

This learning module was designed to help the students to learn the key information
about the formation of heavier elements during the star formation and evolution.
This learning module deals with the understanding the concept of heavier element’s
formation, star formation, evolution, and some evidences to support the formation.
To further enhance the students’ learning, different learning activities are provided
in this module. The lesson is presented in an easy way in order to address the
learning difficulties of the students by using language level at par with their
comprehension. Based on the recent study, students learn more if they are actively
engaged in the textbook they are using. This learning module can help to improve
the student’s academic achievement in this subject. With this material, students can
work in less supervision of the teacher.

The module is contained one lesson.

• Lesson 1 – The Formation of Heavier Elements during the Star Formation
and Evolution.

The most essential learning competency for this module.

Give evidence for and describe the formation of heavier elements during star
formation and evolution (S11/12PS-IIIb-10)

After going through this module, you are specifically expected to:
1. Define stellar nucleosynthesis, and
2. Give evidence for and describe the formation of heavier elements during star
formation and evolution.

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 What I Know

Identify the key term referred in each statement. Write your answer on a
separate sheet of paper.

__________1. It is a process where the heavy elements are produced within the stars.

__________2. It is a violent explosion of a star.

__________3. It is formed when fragments of molecular cloud are clustered.

__________4. It refers to the materials found between stars.

__________5. The solid particles in the stars are called__________.

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 Lesson The Formation of Heavier
1 Elements during the Star
Formation and Evolution
The stellar evolution deals with the various events of the star’s life. From the dense
molecular cloud to time when the star becomes exhausted all its nuclear fuel. The
stellar nucleosynthesis is a chemical process of forming heavy elements within the
stars. This process requires high amount of temperature, pressure and energy so
that fusion will take place to create heavy elements. These heavy elements are very
essential in our environment; some in our bodies were produced through stellar
nucleosynthesis.

What’s In

Picture comparative analysis

What do see in these pictures? Which of these two pictures is most likely similar in
the formation of heavy elements?
Picture A Picture B

In picture A, he is a wizard. In picture B, there are three witches. The wizard if he

wanted to do to something or wish to happen. He might do or happen in a snap using
his wand. On the other hand, in witchcraft if they wanted to make a potion. There
are processes or procedures to follow to come up with their desire potion. Therefore,
most likely similar to the formation of heavy elements is picture B. There are different
stages or processes involved in creating heavy elements through stellar
nucleosynthesis. As you go through to this learning material you will learn how the
heavy elements are form during the star formation and evolution.

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 Notes to the Teacher
This learning module will help the learners to understand the
formation of heavier elements, star formation, evolution some
evidences to support the formation. Furthermore, several learning
activities are provided to deepen the learners’ understanding the
concept of formation of heavier elements during the star formation
and evolution.

What’s New

How do stars are formed? How do heavy elements are formed?

The Formation of Heavier Elements

The lighter elements are formed during the big bang nucleosynthesis. On the other
hand, the heavier elements are formed through the stellar nucleosynthesis. Stellar
nucleosynthesis is a formation of heavy elements within the stars. As the stars are
evolving, there is a greater possibility of formation and changes of elements.

Stellar Evolution

The stellar evolution is an event of changes of a star during its lifetime from
evolutionary phase of protostar until its stellar death: supernova. The theory of
collapse under gravity is considered as the major theory of the star formation. The
stars are formed by the gravitational collapse of dense molecular cloud. As the
molecular cloud collapses, the fragments from different regions are grouped to form
stellar core called protostar. As the protostar’s temperature increases, the nuclear
reaction starts up to convert hydrogen into helium in its core then star is form into
the main sequence. The star will continue converting hydrogen into helium then it
will become a main sequence star.

Eventually, in the main sequence star fuses so much of its hydrogen into helium, the
fusion will stop. The pressure in the core is reduced. Meanwhile, the star’s core cools
then begin to contract again. In this case, the contraction increases the pressure and
temperature of the star’s core. In the core, helium is converted to carbon while in the
shell, hydrogen is converted into helium making the star -red giant. The stellar
evolution produces elements through iron (Fe). The star’s outer materials are blown
off into the space and the remainder of the star becomes a white dwarf. The star’s
core can no longer make energy to resist from gravity. The star now will explode and
release a large amount of energy this explosion is referred as supernova.

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 Shells fusion

The bigger the star, the heavier elements it can produce inside the core. In this case,
the massive star has enough temperature and pressure for the fusion to take place.
For instance, the formation of heavy elements. In the entire star’s lifetime, different
events will happen such as fusion of heavy elements in the core and in the shells
that surround the core. The shell fusion is a process of formation of new elements in
its layers or regions. For this case, carbon fusion will form oxygen, neon from the
fusion of oxygen, from neon fusion will create magnesium, silicon is the product of
magnesium fusion and iron is form from silicon fusion as seen in the above figure of
shells fusion. When new elements are produced, new layers are added up to the size
of the star until it becomes multiple shell-red giant.
Evidence of formation of heavy elements

One of the significant evidences to support the formation of heavier elements during
stellar evolution is the interstellar medium. The interstellar medium is all the
collection of interstellar matter. The interstellar matter refers to the materials
between the stars. About ninety-nine percent (99%) of these materials are in the form
of gases. The most abundant gases are helium and hydrogen. And the remaining
one percent (1%) is in the form of solids which are frozen particles called interstellar
grains. The interstellar grains are made up of rock like materials.

Another evidence to corroborate the formation of heavy elements is infrared

radiation. The infrared radiation is a form of energy detected in the process of star
formation. Astronomers used infrared radiation to estimate the pressure,
temperature and energy in the evolutionary phase of the star formation.

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 What is It

After reading the text in What’s new. Let us see how far you have learned this topic.

Match the term in Column A to Column B. Use a separate sheet of paper for
your answer.
A B

_____1. Interstellar grain a. All the interstellar found in the

stars.
_____2. Multiple shell red giant
b. The energy found in the star
_____3. Interstellar medium
formation.
_____4. Infrared radiation
c. Frozen materials
_____5. Shell fusion
d. A process of formation of new
elements in the star.

e. Layers are added up in the regions

of star.

What’s More

Define the following terms. Use a separate sheet of paper for your answer.
1. White dwarf

2. Protostar

3. Stellar nucleosynthesis

4. Multiple shell-red giant

5. Interstellar grain

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 What I Have Learned

1. The stellar nucleosynthesis is a formation of heavy elements within the stars.

2. The major theory of the star formation is the theory of collapse under gravity.
3. The protostar is formed when fragments of molecular cloud are grouped.
4. The interstellar matter refers to the materials between the stars.
5. The supernova is the violent explosion of the stars.
6. The interstellar medium is all the collection of interstellar matter in the star.
7. The infrared radiation is a form of energy detected in the process of star
formation.

What I Can Do

Label the element formed in each shell fusion. Use a separate sheet of paper for
your answer.

1._______

2._______

3._______

4._______

5._______

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 Assessment

Multiple Choice. Read and analyze each question. Write the letter that
corresponds to your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. The rock like materials found in the star.

a. Interstellar grain c. Supernova
b. Protostar d. Main sequence star
2. Which of the following best describe stellar nucleosynthesis?
a. A process of producing gases c. A process of massive
in the stars. explosion in the stars.
b. A process of producing heavy d. A process of forming heavy
elements in the molecular elements within the stars.
cloud.
3. Which of the following elements is not formed during the stellar evolution?
a. Neon c. Magnesium
b. Manganese d. Silicon
4. Which of the following is not part of infrared radiation?
a. Pressure c. Energy
b. Temperature d. Chemical reaction
5. These are the abundant gases in the stellar evolution.
a. Nitrogen and Chlorine c. Helium and Hydrogen
b. Argon and Krypton d. Hydrogen and Nitrogen
6. When carbon fuses, what element is formed?
a. Neon c. Hydrogen
b. Oxygen d. Silicon
7. In the process of stellar nucleosynthesis, when silicon fuses what element is
formed?
a. Iron c. Magnesium
b. Neon d. Manganese
8. In the main sequence star, what happen if the fusion stops?
a. The energy in the core c. The chemical reaction in the
increases. core stops.
b. The pressure in the core is d. The molecular cloud in the
reduce. core explodes
9. The energy detected in the star formation.
a. Infrared radiation c. Chemical reaction
b. Ultraviolet ray d. Interstellar medium
10. When magnesium fuses, what element is formed?
a. Neon c. Magnesium
b. Silicon d. oxygen

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