The result is a white dwarf which exceeds its Chandrasekhar limit and explodes as a type Ia supernova, synthesizing about a solar mass of radioactive 56 Ni isotopes, together with smaller amounts of other …

Jan 20, 2026 · At their cores, stars convert simple elements like hydrogen into heavier elements. These heavier elements, such as carbon and nitrogen, are the elements needed for life.

Mar 29, 2025 · In the intense environment of a supernova, neutrons are produced in vast quantities. These neutrons collide with atomic nuclei, leading to the formation of elements heavier than iron.

Oxygen is the most abundant element in the human body (about 65% by mass), calcium helps form and maintain healthy bones and teeth, and iron is a vital part of red blood cells that carry oxygen through …

Feb 24, 2025 · Supernova explosions are a crucial step in the chain of events that generates the iron we find in interstellar space and in the Solar System, including on Earth.

Radioactive elements formed in the blast (principally Ni and Co) begin to decay, and the energy release heats the surrounding debris. This produces a “bump” in the light-curve, where the decay in …

We’ll discuss how lighter elements like helium, carbon, and iron are produced inside stars through nuclear fusion, and how elements heavier than iron are created during the supernova itself...

Which type of heavy atomic nuclei are most common, and why? Even numbered elements, for helium is "giant food" for everything beyond itself.

Theoretical studies indicate that most supernovae are triggered by one of two basic mechanisms: the sudden re-ignition of nuclear fusion in a white dwarf, or the sudden gravitational collapse of a …

Feb 17, 2026 · Until this stage of its evolution, the star has shone by means of the nuclear energy released at and near its core in the process of squeezing and heating lighter elements such as …