FreeLists / az-observing / [AZ-Observing] Re: Jupiter

[George Barber <gbarber@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Converting H to He is the process of nuclear fusion, and requires the
intense pressure and temperature found at the core of a star.  It's
actually quite a complex formula, and involves bunches of istopes
(proton-proton chain, CNO cycle).  Go to
http://zebu.uoregon.edu/textbook/energygen.html for more information.  I've
never heard of He being converted back to H.  It seems to me that this
would REQUIRE energy.  Actually, a star will only convert about 1/4 of its
total H into He over its lifetime.  Then, at the end of its life, it swells
into a red giant or supergiant, and eventually a nova or supernova
distributes the star's outer atmosphere into space.  That's what makes
planetary nebulas.

Our sun will convert about 1/4 of its H into He, then the core will
collapse due to gravity until the pressure and heat can sustain He fusion
into Carbon (1 Billion degrees).  I believe that's as far as a star of our
mass can get.  Once that's completed, it goes nova.  There's excellent
information on this at http://www.maa.mhn.de/Scholar/star_evol.html#A1.1.3


G


                                                                                
                                 
                      "Mike Loftus"                                             
                                 
                      <mikeloftus@xxxxxxxxx>         To:      
az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx                         
                      Sent by:                       cc:                        
                                 
                      az-observing-bounce@fr         Subject: [AZ-Observing] 
Re: Jupiter                         
                      eelists.org                                               
                                 
                                                                                
                                 
                                                                                
                                 
                      06/07/2004 10:37 AM                                       
                                 
                      Please respond to                                         
                                 
                      az-observing                                              
                                 
                                                                                
                                 
                                                                                
                                 




Thank you George.

My first comment on Q1 was indeed the same.  My friend then asked,
"The sun changes H to HE and back to H again without oxygen."


-----Original Message-----
From: az-observing-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:az-observing-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of George Barber
Sent: Monday, June 07, 2004 10:09 AM
To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [AZ-Observing] Re: Jupiter







For question 1:

Fire is the combination of an element or compound with oxygen.  In this
case, you are thinking of either hydrogen being burned to form water, or
maybe the combustion of methane.  For either of these, the key is oxygen.
Jupiter does not possess free oxygen in its atmosphere like Earth does.
Therefore, no "burning" can take place.  In fact, if you wanted to have a
fire on Jupiter, you would bring along a bottle of oxygen.

For number 2:

Jupiter is a mixture of various gases and ices, like ammonia ice, water
ice, etc..  This is what helps create the cloud features we see on its
surface.  There are probably a lot of people who could explain this better
than I, but these various substances more than likely "stratify", like
clouds in our own atmosphere.  An object plowing through these layers would
certainly disrupt them.  It wouldn't really be an combustion-type
"explosion".  Instead, there would be energy released from the tremendous
friction generated - just like a meteor coming into our atmosphere.

Anyway, there's my $.02 worth.

George



                      "Mike Loftus"
                      <mikeloftus@xxxxxxxxx>         To:
az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
                      Sent by:                       cc:
                      az-observing-bounce@fr         Subject:
[AZ-Observing]
Jupiter
                      eelists.org


                      06/07/2004 09:52 AM
                      Please respond to
                      az-observing







A friend of mine in Prescott wrote and asked the following questions.
Would
anyone care to elaborate?

Mike

I have always been told that Jupiter is a giant ball of gas that is
primarily hydrogen.
1.  Why don't the immense lightening bolts that occur on Jupiter ignite the
planet?
2.  Since Jupiter is a "gas ball", why did the comet (string of pearls)
make
such a huge visible explosive impact when it hit the "surface".   There is
no surface, just gas!

Dave

--
See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please
send personal replies to the author, not the list.




--
See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please
send personal replies to the author, not the list.



--
See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please
send personal replies to the author, not the list.




--
See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please 
send personal replies to the author, not the list.