What essential role do supernovae play in cosmic element creation?

Answer

The extreme conditions forge elements heavier than iron, such as gold and uranium.

While normal stellar fusion creates elements up to iron, the extreme temperatures and pressures during a supernova event are necessary to forge elements heavier than iron through a process called nucleosynthesis, scattering these crucial ingredients throughout space.

What essential role do supernovae play in cosmic element creation?
astronomystellar evolutionsupernovastar deathviolent