How long does the final stage, from silicon ignition to imminent iron core collapse, typically last in a massive star?
Answer
About a week or two.
The final steps of fusion within the cores of massive stars, specifically the burning of silicon into iron, occurs on an extremely rapid timescale relative to the star's overall lifespan. Once silicon ignition commences in the core, the star is nearing its absolute end. This stage is characterized by its terminal nature, lasting only approximately one or two weeks before the resulting iron core forms and reaches the critical mass/density point where gravitational collapse becomes unavoidable. This brevity underscores the rapid, catastrophic end that awaits the star once it commits to producing iron.
#Videos
Can You Kill A Star With Iron? Why Iron Isn't Poison to Stars - YouTube
Related Questions
Why does fusing iron atoms in a massive star core stop supporting the star?What minimum mass is required for a star to sustain fusion all the way to iron?How are elements heavier than iron, like gold and uranium, primarily forged in the cosmos?What element is the final stage element produced by a low-mass, Sun-like star's fusion process?How fast can the iron core shrink during the initial phase of collapse leading to supernova?What mechanism ultimately halts the extreme compression of the iron core during implosion?What process caused the iron-nickel core to form in the early Earth?How long does the final stage, from silicon ignition to imminent iron core collapse, typically last in a massive star?What phase is described as the transient, unstable state immediately preceding a supernova explosion in a massive star?What fundamental difference exists between the creation of iron via fusion and the creation of gold during a supernova?