 In massive stars , heavier elements can also be burned in a contracting core through the neon burning process and oxygen burning process . The final stage in the stellar nucleosynthesis process is the silicon burning process that results in the production of the stable isotope iron @-@ 56 , an endothermic process that consumes energy , and so further energy can only be produced through gravitational collapse . 
 In massive stars , heavier elements can also be burned in a contracting core through the neon burning process and oxygen burning process . The final stage in the stellar nucleosynthesis process <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>is</mark></a>the silicon burning process <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>results</mark></a> in the production of the stable isotope iron @-@ 56 , an endothermic process <a href='null_relcl' title='4'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>consumes</mark></a> energy , and so further energy can only be produced through gravitational collapse . 
In massive stars , heavier elements can also be burned in a contracting core through da neon burning process and oxygen burning process . The final stage in the stellar nucleosynthesis process the silicon burnin process result in the production of the stable isotope iron @-@ 56 , an endothermic process consume energy , and soo further energy can only b produced thru gravitational collapse .