What do chemically enriched planetary nebulae primarily display regarding their elemental makeup?
Answer
Elements processed within the stars themselves
While the raw material for new stars originates from primordial hydrogen and helium created during the Big Bang, planetary nebulae represent the later stages of stellar evolution. The material ejected to form a planetary nebula is the star's outer envelope, which has been gently expelled following the red giant phase. This material carries the chemical signature of the star's interior, where sufficient temperatures and pressures existed to drive fusion reactions beyond the initial hydrogen burning. Therefore, these nebulae offer a concentrated view of elements that were forged and processed inside the progenitor star over millions or billions of years.
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