In this process, as more and more particles fuse together, such as the atoms of hydrogen and helium in stars, the new product of the fusion can become unstable and eventually split up or break apart. When the chemicals hydrogen and helium mix up, it then becomes the particle or isotope known as Be-17, which has the unstable atomic mass of 8. And it’s lifetime in approximately 17 seconds only due to its unstable nature.

There also four types of Nucleosynthesis namely the Big Bang, Stellar, Explosive Nucleosynthesis, and Cosmic ay Spallation. Big Bang Nucleosynthesis is the reaction that came within three minutes from the formation of the Universe. It is also responsible for the high levels of different elements, especially Helium in outer space. Stellar on the other hand, is the chemical reaction responsible for forming carbon to iron in the star systems.

The explosive type is the reaction that makes a supernova or nova happens. Due to this kind of reaction, a certain supernova creates new elements based on the intensity of the burst. And lastly, Cosmic Ray Spallation is the reaction credited for producing the elements of lithium, beryllium, and boron in space and is considered to be the one producing the lightest elements in space.

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Helium is known to be the second lightest and second most abundant element next to Hydrogen. In the periodic table of elements, it heads the noble gas group having the atomic number 2. Helium has the lowest boiling and melting points among these elements. Unlike other elements, it never freezes, down to absolute zero temperature under normal pressure, it remains liquid.

Because this gas is lighter than air and non-flammable, it is used to inflate balloons and airships. More importantly, helium is used in producing rocket fuel condensing hydrogen and oxygen. Other uses include MRI scanner applications, arc welding processes and in producing superconductivity of some metals. Mixing with oxygen, it is used as artificial air for divers and those working under pressure.

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Do you know a lot about hydrogen?

Did you know that it is the most abundant element? It makes up about 75% of the universe. Stars are formed from it! It is also considered to be the third most abundant element on Earth. It is present in water and all the other organic matter.

You might have heard about how the airship Hindenburg exploded back in 1937. In the gas form, it is considered less flammable than gasoline, very large amounts have proven to be quite dangerous, especially if it is inside a flammable material, like in the case of the Hindenburg. Today, blimps use helium already.

It is also interesting to make note that there is abundance in hydrogen in the atmosphere of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Did you know that this element’s purest state is not found on Earth? Yes it is the most abundant element, however, it can only be found on the highest layers of the Earth’s atmosphere, in gas form.

It is considered as a source of alternative fuel, as most scientists predict. If you care for the environment, you will be happy to know that it doesn’t cause pollution. Its emission by-product is water, H2O.

Lastly, hydrogen is the simplest element: consisting of a proton and an electron.

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It is toxic and a very dangerous unstable chemical compound. It is used mainly to serve as foaming agent in the preparation of polymer foams. It is also used as precursor to polymerization catalysts and pharmaceutical companies. It is also being utilized for us as rocket fuel.

It is also essential in nuclear and conventional electrical power plant to control dissolved oxygen. It is also used to minimize corrosion.

This chemical compound is utilized as a precursor to blowing agents. Additionally, sodium azide which is a gas-forming agent in air bags is also derived from hydrazine.

It serves as excellent propellant on board space vehicles in order to minimize the concentration of dissolved nitrogen and to control the water’s ph level.

This compound was first utilized as rocket fuel during the Second World War under the code hydrazine hydrate. It is also being used as monopropellant to maneuver thrusters of spacecrafts.

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Tremolite is a member of a group of silicate minerals containing molecules of Calcium, Magnesium, Silicon and Oxygen. It is formed by the metamorphism of sediments with high amounts of dolomite and quartz. Its color ranges from creamy white to dark green, depending on magnesium or iron content. In fact, the gemstone Jade is composed of a mineral which is a green variety of tremolite.

The reason why tremolite has gained the attention of Astronomers is that it can be used to detect the presence of water (or the presence of water in the past) in the planet Venus. Venus and Earth are similar in structure. They both have metallic cores and solid rocky surfaces. However, Venus is very hot (660 to 740K, compared to Earth's 288K average surface temperature) and dry, even hotter than Mercury which is nearer to the sun. This is because of Venus' atmosphere which is high in Carbon dioxide, causing a Greenhouse Effect.

Photo by: Rob Lavinsky Creative Commons

Venus may be hot and dry but it has a high D/H or deuterium to hydrogen ratio. Scientists state that this is an indication of a lost primordial ocean or the presence of water being supplied to the surface either by volcanic outgassing or by comets which are known to carry water-particles. However, Venus is also known for the high rate of hydrogen loss. Venus may therefore indeed have had more water in the past.

It isn't certain how long ago the runaway-water process had happened; so scientists are now left with using information they can get from what is on the planet's surface now. If Venus truly had significant volumes of water in the past, hydrous minerals like tremolite may have formed. If those can be detected and studied, more information about Venus and what has happened to the planet in its history has made it inhabitable, while Earth, its neighbor has a similar structure but has life in it.

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Long ago, people believed that there were four main elements: earth, water, air and fire. However, modern chemistry has proven that there are more. As of March 2010, there are 118 ?discovered? elements on the planet. Some exist naturally, while others are products of various processes to isolate them from their ores and/or generate them from other elements. There are numerous possibilities of undiscovered elements in space.

The atomic number, commonly denoted as ?Z,? is the assigned label of distinction for each element. It refers to the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. Together with the protons are the neutrons, forming the bulk of the atom?s mass. Revolving around the nucleus are electrons that bear a negative charge, usually containing the atom?s energy.

Some light elements like hydrogen and helium are used by stars as fuels. When their atoms undergo fusion, they can release tremendous heat and energy.

Everything around us is made of elements that are bonded together. Some can even bond in different ways, forming allotropes. For example, pencil graphite is made of carbon. However, if they are bonded in a crystalline structure, carbon can also form diamonds.

The Element Song

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Volatiles are chemical elements and compounds that have small boiling points and are found or connected to the atmosphere and crust of both a moon and a planet. Elements such as hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and methane are types of volatiles. Water is also a perfect example as well as other compounds of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, silver, carbon and sulfur dioxide.

As one looks closely to the crust of both the moon and the earth, he will find these elements in huge extents. Those volatiles that have very low melting points are classified glasses such as helium and hydrogen. The volatiles that have more than 100k melting points are called asices.

The moon is said to have a minimum of volatiles because its crust has oxygen but small amounts of nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen. Scientists made a recent discovery when they studied the components of silver found in Earth rocks and meteorites. With their findings they were able to make a calculation regarding the creation of Earth. They found out that when the Earth was created, volatiles such as water and other major ones may have been present in its crust and atmosphere, therefore refuting the theory that it was comets that gave these volatiles.

On the other hand, elements that have high boiling points are called refractory elements and are composed of aluminum, titanium, calcium, uranium, and other elements not usually found on earth which include tungsten, thorium, gadolinium, europium and zirconium.

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Not many know that it?s not just plasma TVs and plasma balls in museums which have ionized gas or plasma. When gas is ionized it specifically means gas electrons have been charged enough to let them escape atoms or molecules (positive ionization). When this happens there is always a visual manifestation no matter how slight, and they usually are spectacular to behold.

Take, for example, the inside of fluorescent lamps and neon signs, lightning, St. Elmo?s fire, and the auroras. A lot in outer space are made of plasma?the Sun, stars and solar wind, the space between stars, planets and galaxies, and nebulas. In fact it is plasma which is the most common state of matter in outer space, which only makes sense because if the stars and the space between almost everything in the universe is plasma, then that is indeed a lot of ionized gas.

Galactic Ionized Gas

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“Isotope” is Greek for “at the same place” and this term was suggested to Soddy by Scottish physician Margaret Todd the next year after he shared his ideas with her. The name defines itself'isotopes are atoms which have the same atomic number or the same number of protons but not neutrons. The mass number or the total number of nucleons in the nucleus is therefore different, because this is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons.

Carbon, for instance, has the atomic number of 6 because of its 6 protons, but not all carbon in and on the earth has the same number of electrons. There are carbon-12 and carbon-13, among others, and these two isotopes have the mass numbers 12 and 13 respectively. The next time you see the name of an element with a hyphen and a number following it immediately, that's an isotope, and the number means the number of neutrons it has.

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Igneous

For starters, rocks are classified according to how they are made. There are three types of rocks, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.

Under the Earth’s crust is the extremely hot mantle. It is interesting to note that the coolest outer part of the Earth’s mantle is around 1000°C Celsius or 1800°F. With that said, labeling the mantle as extremely hot is an understatement. The rock in this part of the Earth is molten, hot, white liquid.

Magma is made up of a combination of different elements, some of which are silica, iron, potassium, aluminum, and magnesium. Aside from these, other gasses are present such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. These elements in turn form chemical combinations that crystallize to form 8 basic rock forming minerals: olivine, quartz, amphibole, orthoclase, plagioclase, biotite, muscovite, and pyroxene.

Igneous rocks come from molten magma. When molten magma cools and crystallizes, an igneous rock is formed. This event only happens above the ground, like when volcanoes erupt. Magma immediately cools upon reaching the surface, usually in days or weeks. However, when magma forms in pockets underground, it cools more slowly that could take even million of years.

Rocks have always been in existence for a very, very long time. A study as to the circumstances and conditions by which these rocks were formed is one interesting read.

What are Igenous Rocks?

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