What elements are primarily formed during the triple-alpha process in the helium core?
Answer
Carbon, subsequently forming oxygen.
The triple-alpha process is the mechanism by which stars begin fusing helium. In this process, three helium nuclei, which are also known as alpha particles, combine to form a single, more massive nucleus, which is carbon. Following this initial formation, the process does not necessarily stop there; the newly formed carbon nucleus can readily capture another available helium nucleus (alpha particle) in subsequent reactions to form the element oxygen. Thus, the immediate products of sustained helium core burning are carbon and oxygen.
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