Supernovas and Heavy Elements

[retro555]

How does a supernova produce elements heavier than iron? Iron absorbs energy, thus causing the core collapse that produces a supernova. So what new process creates the heavier elements? Thanks.

 

[Saiph]

because when the core collapes the rest o fthe star is left behind, hanging in mid-air.<br /><br />Then, it falls in, aproaching the speed of light. Then it hits the contracting core, and the material comming in from the other side.<br /><br />This creates huge temperatures and pressures at the rebound site, igniting a run away fusion reaction. This rebound shockwave, rebounding at near the speed of light, and further boosted by the fusion process, moves back out, fusing parts of the still infalling stellar material...causing more fusion!!!!!!!!! <br /><br />Nasty feedback cycle basically.<br /><br />Anyway, there is so much energy floating around that what does get absorbed in the making of heavy nuclei (they absorb a lot of energy during fusion, as you said) doesn't matter, a supernovae puts out more energy per second than the rest of the galaxy combined (of course, the supernovae doesn't last very long...) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#c0c0c0"><br /></font></p><p align="center"><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">----</font></em></font><font color="#666699">SaiphMOD@gmail.com </font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">-------------------</font></em></font></p><p><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">"This is my Timey Wimey Detector.  Goes "bing" when there's stuff.  It also fries eggs at 30 paces, wether you want it to or not actually.  I've learned to stay away from hens: It's not pretty when they blow" -- </font></em></font><font size="1" color="#999999">The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>