A massive star goes supernova, creating a large nebula. This nebula eventually goes on to form a new set of stars. What can we say about the composition of this new set of stars compared to the one that went supernova?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

In this question, we’re evaluating how a supernova remnant influences the chemical makeup of subsequent generations of stars. 
Option 1: 'The new stars will contain more heavier elements' — this is correct. A supernova explosively disperses elements forged in the star and during the explosion into the surrounding nebula, enriching it with heavier elements beyond hydrogen and helium. When new stars form from this enriched material, they inherit those heavier elements. 
Option 2: 'The new stars will contain only hydrogen and helium' — this would be true for primordial, Population III stars formed from pristine gas with no prior stellar nucleosynthesis, but not for material that has been processed by a previous star and exploded. The nebula from a supernova is not limited to H and He. 
Option 3: 'The new stars will have the same abundance of elements' — this ignores the enrichment process. Since supernovae seed the interstellar medium with heavier elements, the abundances of metals (elements heavier than helium) will be higher in the next generation, so the abundances will not be unchanged. 
Option 4: 'The new stars will contain less heavier elements' — this directly contradicts the well-established role of supernovae in recycling and enriching the interstellar medium; the heavier-element content would increase, not decrease. 
Overall, the logic hinges on the idea that stellar deaths disseminate newly formed elements into the nebula, altering the chemical recipe for future stars. The only option that aligns with this enrichment process is the first one.

ASTR-1-45046-F25 Lecture: The Stellar Circle of Life

A massive star goes supernova, creating a large nebula. This nebula eventually goes on to form a new set of stars. What can we say about the composition of this new set of stars compared to the one that went supernova?

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