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Supernova
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The gases hydrogen and helium are attracted and condense through gravity
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In the middle of these condensation points, pressure of the gases build producing heat
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In the centre, the heat becomes too great for the atoms and they fuse together in nuclear
explosions producing light and energy and new heavier forms of atoms
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This is the birth of the primal star
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This continues for millions of years
Inside this star:
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Hydrogen is burnt and converted into helium
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Helium is burnt and converted into carbon and oxygen
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Carbon is burnt and converted into heavier elements and so the process continues until
iron is produced.
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Eventually, there is so much iron that the inner core contracts, the centre melts down.
Under the enormous pressure, the elements dissolve, neutrinos flood out leaving no
energy at the centre of the star.
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The iron left at the outer rim of the star collapses inwards, the inner core expands, the 2
collide and an enormous explosion sends out all the matter into the Universe.
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The star explodes with the energy and light that outshines a galaxy of 200 billion stars.
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This explosion produces new elements, heavier than iron; copper, silver, gold, calcium for
bones, phosphorus for photosynthesis, uranium, plutonium and many other elements
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In the debris of this enormous explosion, slowly the planets start to form.
Each planet is unique and different:
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Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
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And from the rest of the swirling clouds of hydrogen forms our sun. A new star in the
galaxy.
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On one of these planets, the size was just right to support life. Not too big to produce gas
giants or too small to produce inert pieces of rock. This planet was called the Earth.