Neon-22 neutron excess from nitrogen-14

ID: neon-22-neutron-excess-from-nitrogen-14

Two alpha captures and an intervening beta-plus decay turn each nitrogen-14 nucleus into neon-22, incorporating eight baryons from helium and converting one proton to a neutron. With no loss or dilution and nuclear mass defects neglected, a nitrogen-14 mass fraction therefore yields neon-22 mass fraction , not . In otherwise symmetric carbon-oxygen matter this gives the displayed electron fraction in stellar matter. A final neon mass fraction and a pre-helium-burning metallicity must not silently be treated as identical.

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