Which of the following is not a good reason why white- dwarf supernovae are good standard candles for distance measurements?
A)White- dwarf supernovae are so bright that they can be detected even in very distant galaxies.
B)White- dwarf supernovae occur only among young and extremely bright stars.
C)White- dwarf supernovae are common enough that we detect several every year.
D)All white- dwarf supernovae have similar light curves, which makes them easy to distinguish from massive- star supernovae.
E)All white- dwarf supernovae involve the explosion of stars of nearly the same mass.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

White-dwarf supernovae actually occur among old and dim stars, not young and extremely bright stars. This is because white dwarfs are the remnants of low-mass stars that have exhausted their nuclear fuel and have collapsed under their own weight. This collapse causes them to release a tremendous amount of energy in the form of a supernova explosion, making them good standard candles for distance measurements. However, the fact that they occur among old and dim stars is the opposite of choice B, making it the incorrect option.

Which of the Following Is Not a Good Reason Why