Read · 1 min
The Triple-Alpha Process
The triple-alpha process is the mechanism through which three helium-4 nuclei (or alpha particles) fuse to form a single carbon-12 nucleus. This process only occurs in older stars with high core temperatures and helium concentrations to accumulate large amounts of unstable beryllium-8 from the reaction of two helium nuclei. This beryllium-8 then reacts with another helium nucleus to form carbon-12.