which contains explanations of the fate of stars depending on their masses.
What is interesting though is the markscheme way of explaining what happens:
What will get you the marks with questions involving Supernovas
1.) After star leaves the main sequence the fusion of hydrogen stops. The fusion of helium begins and heavier elements are fused in concentric shells around the core
2.) Fusion stops at Iron (Highest BE per nucleon) and the mass exceeds the Chandrasekhar limit. Therefore it does not form a white dwarf but instead...
3.) Forms a supernova
4.) The core then collapses into a neutron star
Some Astro-Boy definitions
1.) Chadrasekhar Limit = mass after which a white dwarf does not form. Equivalent to 1.4 solar masses.
(The heavy mass causes the star collapse into itself to form a neutron star)
2.) Openheimer-Volkoff Limit = a neutron star is stable up to this mass which is equivalent to 3 solar masses, beyond this point and it forms a blackhole.
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