A massive star can fuse more and more massive nuclei, but this process is limited by the fact that, at some point, an element that is produced ____.

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Fusion in massive stars progresses through increasingly heavier elements until iron is produced. Iron cannot produce energy through fusion because fusing iron or any heavier element consumes more energy than it releases, marking the limit of the fusion process in stars.

A Massive Star Can Fuse More and More Massive Nuclei