What does "Stellar Nucleosynthesis" mean?

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Stellar nucleosynthesis is the process by which stars create new elements. Inside stars, intense heat and pressure cause nuclear reactions, which fuse lighter elements into heavier ones. This is how elements like carbon, oxygen, and iron are formed.

As stars go through their life cycle, they burn lighter elements first. For example, a star might burn hydrogen into helium. Once the hydrogen is used up, it can start burning helium into heavier elements. This process continues until the star reaches iron. Iron is special because it does not release energy when fused, so once a star creates iron, it can't generate more energy through fusion.

When stars run out of fuel, they can explode in a supernova. This explosion spreads the newly formed elements into space, allowing them to mix with gas and dust. Over time, these materials might come together to form new stars, planets, and even life.

Certain types of stars, like massive stars and those in binary systems, produce different elements through various processes. For instance, some of these stars create heavier elements like gold or uranium.

Understanding stellar nucleosynthesis is crucial for knowing how elements in the universe are formed and how they contribute to the chemical makeup of everything around us.