Massive stars synthesize chemical elements going from helium up to iron

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Consider the statement being evaluated: massive stars synthesize chemical elements from helium up to iron. 
Option 1: 'only in the core of the star.' This is presented as the correct choice in the provided data. The reasoning support here is that the primary fusion stages for building up to iron occur in the stellar core where temperatures and densities are highest, driving successive fusion reactions that build heavier nuclei. While there are shell-burning zones around the core, the deepest, most energy-producing fusion up to iron takes place in the core, making this option align with a core-dominated synthesis view. 
Option 2: 'throughout the entire interior.' Although shells of burning exist, the dominant synthesis of iron-peak elements requires conditions in the core; stating synthesis occurs uniformly throughout the interior overstates the distribution of fusion activity and can misrepresent how shell burning zones operate. The core remains the principal site for reaching the iron-group elements, so this option is less accurate than option 1. 
Option 3: 'along the equator of the star.' There is no physical basis for equatorial confinement of nuclear fusion products; fusion processes are dictated by temperature, density, and pressure, which in a rotating star are not restricted to the equator. This makes the claim scientifically unfounded. 
Option 4: 'only during the protostar phase.' The protostar phase precedes sustained nuclear fusion; heavy element synthesis does not occur during this stage. The actual fusion responsible for helium to iron occurs after hydrogen-burning main-sequence and subsequent advanced burning stages, not during the protostar phase. 
Option 5: 'primarily across the entire surface.' Element synthesis at the surface is not a characteristic feature; fusion reactions occur in the interior where core temperatures are extreme. Surface processes do not drive the production of heavier elements in the star, so this option is inaccurate. 
Overall, the provided correct choice emphasizes the core-dominant fusion history for building up to iron, with the other options misrepresenting the spatial distribution or the evolutionary stage of fusion activity.

EESC1120.01|.02 Summer 2025 Our Home Amongst the Cosmos [Kruckenberg] Week 2: Quiz

Massive stars synthesize chemical elements going from helium up to iron

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