Most of the gold,platinum,and rare-earth elements present in the universe are created by neutron star mergers.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Neutron star mergers are one of the major sources of heavy elements in the universe, including gold, platinum, and rare-earth elements. When two neutron stars collide, the extreme conditions generate a huge amount of energy and heat, providing the necessary conditions for the formation of heavy elements. This has been supported by recent observations of gravitational waves and electromagnetic radiation from neutron star mergers, providing strong evidence for this hypothesis.

Most of the Gold,platinum,and Rare-Earth Elements Present in the Universe