Why can't any star, no matter how massive, fuse elements heavier than iron?
A)because the nucleons within iron have the least mass as possible
B)because elements heavier than iron have less average mass per nucleon
C)It could happen, we just have not yet observed a star massive enough to do this.
D)Actually, this occurs on a regular basis, which explains the great abundance of heavy elements.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Fusion of elements heavier than iron is not energetically favorable because iron has the most tightly bound nucleus, meaning it has the least mass per nucleon. Fusion beyond iron requires an input of energy rather than releasing energy.

Why Can't Any Star, No Matter How Massive, Fuse Elements