The red supergiant, Betelgeuse (yes…pronounced “Beetle Juice”) is the 2nd brightest star in the constellation Orion. Due to its size and gravity, it is responsible for creating some of the heavier metals in the universe. What is a heavier element likely created by Betelgeuse?

Question

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1 point
Hydrogen (H)
Silicon (Si)
Helium (He)
Lithium (Li)

Answer 1

The heavier element likely created by Betelgeuse, a red supergiant, is Silicon (Si). Red supergiants are capable of fusing heavier elements in their cores during the later stages of their life cycles, and silicon is one of the heavier elements formed in these processes.