Why does nuclear fusion only occur in the central, innermost region of a star?
Answer
Precise physical requirements of temperature, density, and pressure
Nuclear fusion, the process of combining lighter atomic nuclei into heavier ones while releasing vast amounts of energy, is strictly confined to the innermost region of the star due to stringent physical prerequisites. These prerequisites include a specific, critical threshold of temperature, density, and pressure that must be met simultaneously. If the conditions are even slightly below this precise combination in the outer layers, atomic nuclei retain too much electrical repulsion, preventing them from slamming together to fuse effectively.
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