answersLogoWhite

0

It sure can - and some stars do, to a minor degree. However, it can no longer gain energy from this fusion - it costs energy to create heavier elements.

---

To fuse Iron, you would need a huge amount of heat and pressure, higher than what can be provided by even the massive stars is existence. The upper limit of a stars mass puts this limit on what materials it can fuse. Elements heavier than Iron are created during a supernova explosion, the death of a massive star.

User Avatar

Jadon Zulauf

Lvl 10
4y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Natural Sciences

Nuclear fusion only releases energy when elements that are lighter than what element are involved?

Nuclear fusion only releases energy when elements lighter than iron are involved. This is because elements lighter than iron release energy due to the process of fusion, while elements heavier than iron require energy to be input for fusion to occur.


Does It takes less and less time to fuse heavier and heavier elements inside a high-mass star?

Yes, it takes less time to fuse heavier elements inside a high-mass star because the higher the mass of the star, the higher the core temperature and pressure, which accelerates nuclear fusion reactions. As the star runs out of lighter elements to fuse, it progresses to fusing heavier elements at a faster rate until it reaches iron, at which point fusion stops and the star undergoes a supernova explosion.


What role did supernova play in creating the natural elements?

It is precisely the supernovae that created those elements and dispersed them into space.It is precisely the supernovae that created those elements and dispersed them into space.It is precisely the supernovae that created those elements and dispersed them into space.It is precisely the supernovae that created those elements and dispersed them into space.


How do stars make other elements?

for making elements from helium to nickel and iron, thermonuclear fusionfor making elements past nickel and iron a supernova explosion is needed to force nuclei to fuse more, this destroys the star


What conditions of a supernova cause elements that are heavier than iron to form?

Because for a star to fuse elements heavy elements (iron and heavier) it would actually consume energy rather than liberate it. That doesn't work well to keep the star "alive." The explosion of the supernova itself can create these heavier elements because of the heat of the blast.

Related Questions