In the proton-proton chain
A)no neutrinos are produced.
B)energy is released because a helium nucleus has a greater mass than a hydrogen nucleus.
C)no photons are produced.
D)carbon serves as a catalyst for the nuclear reaction.
E)energy is produced in the form of gamma rays and the velocity of the created nuclei.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the proton-proton chain, energy is produced in the form of gamma rays (high-energy photons) and the created nuclei (helium nuclei) have a high velocity due to the conservation of momentum. The other choices are incorrect as neutrinos are produced, the energy is released due to the conversion of mass to energy and not due to the difference in mass between hydrogen and helium, photons are produced, carbon serves as a catalyst only in the CNO cycle, which is an alternative process to the proton-proton chain.

In the Proton-Proton Chain