If 1 oxygen atom fuses with 2 hydrogen atoms (not bonding!), would they create neon? Is this how neon is made inside stars?

1 Answer
Mar 22, 2018

Hmm....see below

Explanation:

I don't think this would make Neon. Conceptually, yes. You have the right number of protons. But you'd only have 8 neutrons, and that is where the whole thing would probably fall apart.

Neon has 3 naturally occurring isotopes. Neon-20, Neon-21, and Neon-22

Hydrogen has 1 proton and zero neutrons. Oxygen has 8 protons and 8 neutrons (I'm assuming the most naturally abundant isotopes). This will give you a nucleus with 10 protons (Neon) and 8 neutrons, and it would be Neon-18. Since Neon-18 isn't naturally occurring, i think this light Isotope of neon would decay rather quickly.

Not too sure how Neon is made in the suns. This wikipedia post talks about carbon burning in suns, and gives a pathway for making neon.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon-burning_process