The mean mass of a star in a typical star forming region is about 0.3 solar masses and contains about 1% by mass of elements heavier than helium

A typical core-collapse supernova progenitor might have a mass of around 15 solar masses and they will be responsible for dispersing a few (say 3) solar masses of heavy elements into the interstellar medium.

Taking these figures, then a single massive star can produce enough heavy elements to enrich 1000 typical stars. (Or even, though it doesn't work like this, enough heavy elements for about 20 "replacement" high mass stars).

The details depend on the mass distribution of stars, the exact "yield" of heavy elements from massive stars, and you have to take account of the fact that lots of heavy elements are produced and distributed by lower mass stars that never become supernovae or by supernovae caused by the detonation of white dwarf stars. Note that all this stuff gets mixed up with large, diluting quantities of H/He and that no star is the product of one or even a few supernovae events.

In fact the problem is almost the other way around. There are estimated to have been about a billion core collapse supernovae in our Galaxy, but there are probably not as many as $10^{12}$ metal-rich stars. Much of the metal-enriched gas has not formed stars (yet), and some of it escapes from the Galaxy.

The mean mass of a star in a typical star forming region is about 0.3 solar masses and contains about 1% by mass of elements heavier than helium

A typical core-collapse supernova progenitor might have a mass of around 15 solar masses and they will be responsible for dispersing a few (say 3) solar masses of heavy elements into the interstellar medium. i.e. The high mass stars have converted a fair fraction of their hydrogen and helium into heavier elements, so they have a far bigger percentage of heavier elements inside them at the ends of their lives than do newborn stars.

Taking these figures, then a single massive star can produce enough heavy element by the end of its life to enrich 1000 typical newborn stars. (Or even, though it doesn't work like this, enough heavy elements for about 20 "replacement" high mass stars).

The details depend on the mass distribution of stars, the exact "yield" of heavy elements from massive stars, and you have to take account of the fact that lots of heavy elements are produced and distributed by lower mass stars that never become supernovae or by supernovae caused by the detonation of white dwarf stars. Note that all this stuff gets mixed up with large, diluting quantities of H/He and that no star is the product of one or even a few supernovae events.

In fact the problem is almost the other way around. There are estimated to have been about a billion core collapse supernovae in our Galaxy, but there are probably not as many as $10^{12}$ metal-rich stars. Much of the metal-enriched gas has not formed stars (yet), and some of it escapes from the Galaxy.

The mean mass of a star in a typical star forming region is about 0.3 solar masses and contains about 1% by mass of elements heavier than helium

A typical core-collapse supernova progenitor might have a mass of around 15 solar masses and they will be responsible for dispersing a few (say 3) solar masses of heavy elements into the interstellar medium.

Taking these figures, then a single massive star can produce enough heavy elements to enrich 1000 typical stars.

The details depend on the mass distribution of stars, the exact "yield" of heavy elements from massive stars, and you have to take account of the fact that lots of heavy elements are produced and distributed by lower mass stars that never become supernovae or by supernovae caused by the detonation of white dwarf stars. Note that all this stuff gets mixed up with large, diluting quantities of H/He and that no star is the product of one or even a few supernovae events.

In fact the problem is almost the other way around. There are estimated to have been about a billion core collapse supernovae in our Galaxy, but there are probably not as many as $10^{12}$ metal-rich stars. Much of the metal-enriched gas has not formed stars (yet), and some of it escapes from the Galaxy.

The mean mass of a star in a typical star forming region is about 0.3 solar masses and contains about 1% by mass of elements heavier than helium

A typical core-collapse supernova progenitor might have a mass of around 15 solar masses and they will be responsible for dispersing a few (say 3) solar masses of heavy elements into the interstellar medium.

Taking these figures, then a single massive star can produce enough heavy elements to enrich 1000 typical stars. (Or even, though it doesn't work like this, enough heavy elements for about 20 "replacement" high mass stars).

The details depend on the mass distribution of stars, the exact "yield" of heavy elements from massive stars, and you have to take account of the fact that lots of heavy elements are produced and distributed by lower mass stars that never become supernovae or by supernovae caused by the detonation of white dwarf stars. Note that all this stuff gets mixed up with large, diluting quantities of H/He and that no star is the product of one or even a few supernovae events.

In fact the problem is almost the other way around. There are estimated to have been about a billion core collapse supernovae in our Galaxy, but there are probably not as many as $10^{12}$ metal-rich stars. Much of the metal-enriched gas has not formed stars (yet), and some of it escapes from the Galaxy.