heavy elements
Uranium and beyond
Heavy elements are those with high atomic numbers, typically meaning elements heavier than iron on the periodic table.
In astrophysics, the term often includes anything heavier than helium, since hydrogen and helium dominated the early universe and heavier elements formed later in stars.
Supernovae scatter heavy elements through space.
The phrase sometimes appears in environmental contexts referring to toxic metals like lead and mercury.
- nucleosynthesisAtomic core formation process
- kilonovaNeutron star merger explosion
- transmutationComplete change of form
- lanthanidesF-block metallic element series
- supernovaExploding massive star
periodic table · density · cosmic dust · isotopes · star formation · europium · precious metals · actinides · radioactive waste · bioaccumulation · neutron stars · fusion reactions · plutonium · planetary cores · gold · uranium · stellar · ore
- cosmic matterstars, galaxies, dark matter, planets, cosmic dust
- nuclear astrophysicsnucleosynthesis, nuclear fusion, kilonova, supernovae, core collapse
- stellar chemistryhydrogen, helium, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen
- gravitational wavesVirgo, interferometer, strain, waveform, detector
- massive starsblue supergiant, red supergiant, hypergiant, short lifespan
- Supernovaesupernova, core collapse, stellar explosion, supernova remnant, Crab Nebula
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