How do planetary nebulae and supernovae contribute to the chemical composition of the galaxy?
Answer
They inject heavy elements back into the surrounding interstellar medium
When stars reach the end of their life cycles, they eject material back into space. Planetary nebulae and supernovae are responsible for dispersing heavy elements like carbon, oxygen, iron, and gold that were created within the star during its lifetime. This material enriches the interstellar medium, ensuring that future generations of stars are born from gas clouds that contain a higher percentage of heavy elements than the original, first-generation stars of the universe.
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