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ATON IN MODERN SCIENCE 43 (5) Which very rapidly transforms into stable N15 by emitting a positron
(6) Finally Nis receiving in its heart the fourth proton, splits into two unequal parts one of which is the C12 nucleus with which the process started and the other is a helium nucleus or alpha particle which is composed of two protons and two neutrons The same result would have been obtained if the process was started with normal nitrogen atom instead of carbon
The net result of the chain of reaction's is the formation of one nucleus of helium from the four protons which entered the process cycle successively accompanied with liberation of energy The nuclei of carbon and nitrogen in the closed circuit of reactions are forever being regenerated Thus the whole process may be described as the transformation of hydrogen (a proton is the nucleus of hydrogen atom) into helium due to very high temperatures assisted by the catalystic action of carbon and nitrogen
It is shown that at the temperature of 20 million degrees the energy liberalion in the above circuit reaction coincides with the actual amount of energy radiated by our sun Since the astrophysical evidence renders all other possible nuclear reactions inconsistent it may be accepted that the carbon nitrogen cycle described above represents the process mainly responsible for the generation of the solar energy It should also be noted that at the interior temperature of the sun the complete circuit requires about five million years
15. Incidentally this particular reaction is quite well known to nuclear physicists and has heen oblained under laboratory condi. diont by the use of artificially accelerated high energy protons
