Ask a Question
or
Create a Poll
  1. Home /
  2. Polls /
  3. Science
  4. / Physical Sciences
  5. / Space And Astronomy
  6. / Celestial Bodies
  7. / Stars And Galaxies
  8. / Stars

by meggie on December 10th, 2009

meggie

Question

Help answer this question below.

If iron is the heaviest element that a massive star can make in its core, how and where are metals like gold, tin, and uranium made?

  • Like
  • Report
Share:
Other

Answers. 3 helpful answers below.

  • by The Chief on December 10th, 2009

    The Chief

    A very good question.

    In addition to what iwnit said in his answer, consider the following:

    FUSION, as a nuclear process, can occur on a stellar scale in the hearts of stars up to the final product of iron. This means that a star can no longer fuse nuclei from iron on up, in the periodic table, and create energy which can be used to sustain the fusion process.

    This doesn't, however, mean that production of elements beyond iron cannot occur. It simply means that the process by which they are created cannot result in a sustained fusion reaction using those elements.

    Fusion, however, continues to occur with the lighter elements remaining in the star. This ongoing fusion process is still creating all the elements possible, as neutrons released from the process continue to be absorbed by other elements, which in turn undergo their own decay process which converts some neutrons to protons and so forth.

    So while a star cannot fuse iron in a process which releases energy, it MAY fuse iron with other elements (and itself) in a process which REQUIRES energy OR the iron may absorb neutrons which create higher isotopes of iron...which in turn decay to another, higher element.

    For example, consider the isotope of Iron-61 (Fe-61). This is an iron nucleus, atomic number 26 (26 protons), which has absorbed enough neutrons to have an atomic mass of 61 (26 protons, 35 neutrons). Fe-61 is radioactive and decays by Beta minus decay process: That is, one of the neutrons will convert to a proton and the nucleus will emit an electron in the process.

    Thus Fe-61 becomes Co-61 (Cobalt 61), which is a higher element on the periodic chart (and chart of nuclides).

    Nickle is also formed by similar processes.

    There are many different nuclear processes which go into element creation, not all of which involves fusion. Beta minus decay was discussed above. There is beta plus decay as well (proton conversion to neutron, releasing a positron), fusion of identical elements, fusion of dissimilar elements, fission, and so forth.

    These various nuclear processes work to create all the elements of the periodic table, no matter how massive.

    :):):)

    http://www.webelements.com/

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_nuclides

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_nuclides_(complete)

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_decay

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotopes_of_iron

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by iwnit on December 10th, 2009

    iwnit

    "Nucleosynthesis is the process of creating new atomic nuclei from pre-existing nucleons (protons and neutrons). It is thought that the primordial nucleons themselves were formed from the quark-gluon plasma from the Big Bang as it cooled below two trillion degrees. A few minutes afterward, starting with only protons and neutrons, nuclei up to lithium and beryllium (both with mass number 7) were formed, but only in relatively small amounts. Then the fusion process essentially shut down due to drops in temperature and density as the universe continued to expand. This first process of primordial nucleosynthesis may also be called nucleogenesis.

    The subsequent nucleosynthesis of the heavier elements requires heavy stars and supernova explosions, at some point in time, to create. This theoretically happened as hydrogen and helium from the Big Bang (maybe influenced by dark matter), condensed into the first stars, perhaps 500 million years after the Big Bang. The elements created in stellar nucleosynthesis range in atomic numbers from six (carbon) to at least 98 (californium), which has been detected in spectra from supernovae. Synthesis of these heavier elements occurs either by nuclear fusion (including neutron capture) or nuclear fission, followed in some cases by beta decay."

    "3 The four major types of nucleosynthesis
    3.1 Big Bang nucleosynthesis
    3.2 Stellar nucleosynthesis
    3.3 Explosive nucleosynthesis
    3.4 Cosmic ray spallation"
    Source and further information:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucleosynthesis

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by gilbo on December 10th, 2009

    gilbo

    i have learned by watching "the universe" on the history channel, that iron is the heaviest element that a star can produce without going supernova. the forces and heat within a normal star are not enough to make anything heavier than iron. during a supernova, the forces become many times what they are under normal circumstances, and the heavier elements can then be made.

    if you really like this kind of stuff. you should also watch the history channels "the universe" episode regarding pulsars and quasars. it was awesome!

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

Want to attach an image to your answer? Click here.

Did this answer your question? If not, then ask a new question or create a poll.

More Questions. Additional questions in this category.

You're reading If iron is the heaviest element that a massive star can make in its core, how and where are metals like gold, tin, and uranium made?

Follow us on Facebook!

Related Ads

Related Questions

Professionally Researched

ANSWERBAG BUZZ

Element iron in stars
Why does fusion only occur for elements in the periodic table up to iron
What is the heaviest element a neutron star can fuse
The element iron in a star
Fusion protons iron

Answerbag

a Demand Media company