Where do the stars get the Oxygen to burn?

Question

As far as I know, there's no oxygen in space and for anything to burn it needs Oxygen, then how does all the stars in the Universe burn?

Answer 1

  They don't use oxygen they burn helium by fusion.

Answer 2

Because they are fueled by hydrogen, which is a far more efficient at fusing than oxygen.

Nuclear fusion of hydrogen forms helium. Once the star runs dry of hydrogen, it uses helium. Helium fused creates beryllium, which in turn creates carbon.

All of the universes known elements were formed in stars from fusion.

Answer 3

Stars "burn" by fusing hydrogen into helium. It's called thermonuclear reaction, and is the source of tremendous energy.

As a matter of fact, oxygen is produced by stars during their lifetimes.

Answer 4

At the beginning of their life stars contain about two thirds hydrogen and one third helium. Heavier elements are less than one percent. During the birth of a star a cloud of gas collapses until in the center pressure and temperature are high enough to start the nuclear fusion. The cloud begins to shine, first due to the set free gravitational energy, later because of the nuclear fusion.

Answer 5

There is oxygen in space, but stars do not burn by combustion. They burn by nuclear fusion.

Answer 6

Oxygen is created in the cores of massive stars, and when they go supernova, it's spread throughout the universe.  That's where the oxygen on Earth came from, and yes, there is oxygen on the Sun as well.

But the Sun is not on fire.  It's not burning oxygen.  It's creating its energy and light and heat through nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium, just like all the other stars in the universe.

Answer 7

they do not burn.  It's fusion.  As you may remember from school, there is fission and fusion.  Fusion is when atoms combine to make larger atoms.  It creates a tremendous amount of energy.  Our sun combines millions of tons of hydrogen every day into helium and that is the source of it's energy output.

Answer 8

Stars don't 'burn' like fire. They fuse hydrogen to form helium and energy. Totally different process. No oxygen needed.

Answer 9

they do not burn. the energy they produce is derived from fusion