Stars with masses between 0.4- and 4-
A)undergo thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen and helium, but never get hot enough to ignite carbon.
B)undergo thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen, but never get hot enough to ignite helium.
C)produce type I supernovae after they exhaust their nuclear fuels.
D)produce type II supernovae after they exhaust their nuclear fuels.
E)undergo carbon detonation.

Question

Stars with masses between 0.4-  and 4- 
A)undergo thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen and helium, but never get hot enough to ignite carbon. 
B)undergo thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen, but never get hot enough to ignite helium. 
C)produce type I supernovae after they exhaust their nuclear fuels. 
D)produce type II supernovae after they exhaust their nuclear fuels. 
E)undergo carbon detonation.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Stars with masses between 0.4-4 times that of the Sun do not have enough mass to ignite carbon, which is required for type II supernova explosions. However, they undergo thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen and helium in their cores, which keeps them shining steadily for a long time. They eventually exhaust their hydrogen and helium fuels and begin to contract and heat up. This heating up causes the outer layers to expand, making the star a red giant. Finally, the core of the star becomes hot and dense enough to trigger helium fusion, which leads to the formation of a planetary nebula and a white dwarf. Therefore, option A is correct.

Stars with Masses Between 0