Where are elements heavier than iron, such as gold and uranium, primarily forged?
Answer
Within the violence of the supernova explosion or during neutron star mergers.
While stable stars create lighter elements, the intense conditions during a supernova explosion or subsequent mergers are necessary to synthesize elements heavier than iron through nucleosynthesis.
Related Questions
What triggers the catastrophic implosion in a core-collapse supernova?What speeds can the collapsing iron core approach during implosion?What results from a Type Ia supernova event?What quantum mechanical force is capable of stabilizing a core that is not too heavy after implosion?What is the approximate solar mass range for a collapsing core to stabilize specifically as a neutron star?What happens if the remnant core mass exceeds the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff (TOV) limit?Where are elements heavier than iron, such as gold and uranium, primarily forged?What is the immediate, visible aftermath of a supernova explosion called?For what initial star mass is a core-collapse supernova the expected fate?What feature defines the boundary of a black hole from which no information can return?