What primary elements result from the Helium Burning stage following the exhaustion of core hydrogen?
Answer
Carbon and oxygen
After the central hydrogen fuel is entirely consumed, the core of the massive star contracts and heats up intensely under the unrelenting force of gravity. Once the core reaches the necessary, higher temperature threshold, helium nuclei begin to fuse. This Helium Burning stage converts helium into the next set of stable, heavier elements, which are identified as carbon and oxygen. This newly formed carbon and oxygen then becomes the fuel source for the subsequent fusion shell once the central helium supply is depleted.
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