Question

The table below describes processes that occur in stars at different stages of their life cycle.

Life Stage Average Star Massive Star
main sequence Hydrogen fuses into helium. Hydrogen fuses into helium.
giant or supergiant Helium fuses into carbon and oxygen. Helium fuses into carbon and oxygen, and these fuse into heavier elements up to iron.
death The core contracts into a white dwarf. The star contracts and then explodes into a supernova that creates elements heavier than iron.

Which conclusion is supported by the table?
A.
Massive stars fuse elements more quickly, but they produce the same number of elements as less massive stars.
B.
Iron is produced by less massive stars before their death, but it is produced by massive stars during their death.
C.
Less massive stars have fewer stages in their life cycle because they can only fuse hydrogen and helium.
D.
Heavy elements like gold are produced during supernovas, which only occur during the death of massive stars.

Answer 1

D

The table shows that supernovas (which occur only when massive stars die) create elements heavier than iron; gold is heavier than iron, so it would be produced in those supernovas.