Is our sun second generation?

Question

Wouldn't our sun and all the things in the solar system have had to come from an exploded super nova in order for the metals and other more complex atoms to have formed?

Answer 1

Yes—second or more.

The only elements that would have been formed from the big bang are hydrogen, helium, and perhaps trace amounts of lithium. Elements up to iron can be produced in a star by nuclear fusion. (Heavier elements require more energy to start the fusion than is released in the fusion reaction--i.e. energy is LOST. Therefore, only elements up to iron are formed by nuclear fusion.) In a star like our sun, there is not enough mass to create the pressure and heat needed for even the fusion into iron. Our sun will produce metals only up to carbon and oxygen.

Any metals heaver than iron could only be produced in a supernova. (Just a note, astronomers and astrophysics use the term "metal" to mean any element heaver than hydrogen or helium).

The fact that our sun contains trace amounts of iron and heavier metals means it must have been there when it formed, since these cannot be formed by the nuclear fusion within our sun. Since first generation stars would only contain hydrogen, helium, and trace amounts of lithium from the big bang, our sun is not a first generation.

This makes sense since our sun is only around 5 billion years old and the universe is about 16 billion (opinion varies from 11 to 20 billion, but 16 is right in there and generally accepted). That leaves at least 10 billion year for things to have happen before our sun formed: That is a lot of years for other stars to have formed and died, recycling some of its mass back into the universe and our sun. Since the life cycle of very large stars could be as little as 100 million years to supernova stage, the sun could conceivably be many generations along.

Anyway you look at it, it is definitely AT LEAST second generation.

Answer 2

Second Generation Star

Answer 3

Yes the sun is a second (or perhaps third) generation star.

Now doesn't that seem strange to you? It's easy to whimsically think that the universe is infinitely old, but that can't be so because there was only one or two other generations of stars before the sun.

If the universe is about 13 billion years old then each generation is about 4 to 6 billion years. How many more generations of stars do you think are possible? What will happen then?

Answer 4

The correct terminology is Population.

The first stars that formed in the Universe were termed Population lll (3). They were typically more massive than the stars existing today. As they were massive, their life span was short. No Population lll stars are currently visible in the skies.

Stars existing in space today are Population l and ll. Population l are the youngest of stars. Any new stars currently in the process of forming are still considered Population l.

Our sun is called a Population l star. A third 'generation'.

Supernovae are the commonly understood process of stars returning materials to space to provide the chemicals for new stars. However, a more common process is via 'planetary nebulae'.

Most stars in the Universe of today will end their lives as planetary nebulae. Stars weighing more than a few solar masses will end their lives in a dramatic supernova explosion, but for the medium and low mass stars, such as our Sun, the end involves the creation of a planetary nebula.

Answer 5

I think it would be proper to call it a third generation star. There are three classes or populations of star types, based on their metallicity. That would be an indication of what "generation" they are. Population III stars were the first, made of pure hydrogen. Population II stars are generally old and have some metals, like ones we see in globular clusters. Our sun is a Population I star, or the most recent and metal-rich generation.

It should be noted, though, that our sun and planets may contain some percentage of heavy elements which have been recycled in massive, short-lived stars a couple more times before ending up here.

Answer 6

Yes. It is commonly believed that the sun was formed from the remnants of a nova or supernova. From that perspective it would be a second generation star.

Answer 7

You're absolutely right..! Most astronomers think our sun is a 2nd or 3rd generation star. They base this assumption on the age of the universe and the frequency of supernovae in our galaxy.

Answer 8

The sun doesn't have to because it relies on hydrogen to live and work. however it dose have other star stuff in it. The earth and other planets have star stuff in them so I'm sure the sun sucked up it's share also. And when it devours all it's fuel, it to Will explode and shower the solar system and beyond with fresh, new materials like we have today. All stars need is hydrogen to 'burn'. The byproduct that they produce when they lives out their lives are all the other elements. Who knows how many pieces and remnants in the sun, or our world for that mater, have come from other stars?

Answer 9

we are definitely a hand-me-down world.

big hot stars can burn out in just a hundred thousand years...

there is a 10 billion year gap between the beginning of the Universe and our Sun's birth cries (probably in the microwave range).

what happened? lots of births/deaths? probably.

Answer 10

It seems certain given the heavy elements the sun contains that Sol is more than 2nd generation; 3rd or even 4th generation is more than likely.

HTH

Charles