Question

stars of average mass, such as our sun, undergo fusion. what is the most massive element that can result from this process

Answer 1

It depends on the life stage that the star is in. Currently, in the mid-life stage, the sun is still fusing hydrogen into helium, so the maximum here is helium; however, far in the future when the star is nearing its final days, it can fuse atoms into elements as heavy as iron and nickel.