▁ ▁| ▁style =" text - align : center ;" | ▁ 3   year s ▁| - ▁|| ▁o xygen ▁burning ▁process ▁|| ▁o xygen ▁|| ▁Si , ▁S , ▁Ar , ▁Ca ▁| ▁style =" text - align : center ;" | ▁ ▁| ▁style =" text - align : center ;" | ▁ ▁| ▁style =" text - align : center ;" | ▁ 0 . 3   year s ▁| - ▁|| ▁sil icon ▁burning ▁process ▁|| ▁sil icon ▁|| ▁nick el ▁( dec ays ▁into ▁iron ) ▁| ▁style =" text - align : center ;" | ▁ ▁| ▁style =" text - align : center ;" | ▁ ▁| ▁style =" text - align : center ;" | ▁ 5   days ▁| } ▁ ▁Core ▁collapse ▁The ▁factor ▁limit ing ▁this ▁process ▁is ▁the ▁amount ▁of ▁energy ▁that ▁is ▁released ▁through ▁fusion , ▁which ▁is ▁dependent ▁on ▁the ▁binding ▁energy ▁that ▁holds ▁together ▁these ▁atomic ▁nuc lei . ▁Each ▁additional ▁step ▁produces ▁progress ively ▁heav ier ▁nuc lei , ▁which ▁release ▁progress ively ▁less ▁energy ▁when ▁f using . ▁In ▁addition , ▁from ▁carbon - burn ing ▁on wards , ▁energy ▁loss ▁via ▁neut r ino ▁production ▁becomes ▁significant , ▁leading ▁to ▁a ▁higher ▁rate ▁of ▁reaction ▁than ▁would ▁otherwise ▁take ▁place . ▁This ▁continues ▁until ▁nick el - 5 6 ▁is ▁produced , ▁which ▁dec ays ▁radio act ively ▁into ▁c ob alt - 5 6 ▁and ▁then ▁iron - 5 6 ▁over ▁the ▁course