A Type I supernova occurs when a white dwarf exceeds a mass of: A)0.8 M_⨀ B)1.4 M_⨀ C)2.3 M_⨀ D)5.4 M_⨀ E)10 M_⨀

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A Type I supernova occurs when a white dwarf exceeds a mass of 1.4 solar masses (1.4 MS⨀). This mass limit is known as the Chandrasekhar limit, named after the Indian astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar who first calculated it in 1930. As the white dwarf accretes material from a companion star, its mass gradually increases until it reaches this limit. At that point, the core of the white dwarf collapses, triggering a runaway fusion reaction that results in a Type I supernova.

A Type I Supernova Occurs When a White Dwarf Exceeds