white dwarf
The collapse of a star is based on its age. When it runs out of "Fuel" its inside contracts as the outside expands. it can then super nova or collapse into a tiny star.
A star, after using all of it's fuel explodes. We call this a super nova, and after this the star will either become a black dwarf star (or maybe a white dwarf) or it will collapse in on its self creating a black hole.
When a star has burnt up all of its fuel and energy, it will collapse.
A collapsed star after using up its fuel is called a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole, depending on its mass. White dwarfs are remnants of low to medium mass stars, neutron stars are remnants of massive stars, and black holes are formed when very massive stars collapse.
A black hole is the result of the gravitational collapse of a massive star. This happens when the star runs out of fuel.
It depends upon the size of the star. Stars like the sun, when they collapse, become white dwarfs which are made up of pure carbon (you can call it a diamond in space). Stars a lot bigger and heavier than the sun, collapse and become a neutron star, or a pulsar (rotating neutron star), or a black hole.
A dead star would basically be one that ran out of fuel. Such a star no longer has the radiation pressure to keep it "blown up"; it will collapse. Depending on its mass, it will collapse into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
It is believed that they usually start from the gravitational collapse of a massive star - once it runs out of fuel.
When a Star runs out of fuel, it will expand into what is known as a "Red Giant". Massive stars will become "Red Supergiants". This phase will last until the star exhausts its remaining fuel. At this point, the pressure of the nuclear reaction is not strong enough to equalize the force of gravity and the star will collapse. Go to related link to read more about Stars... ;)
White dwarf.
While it has fuel, the radiation will produce pressure, that keeps the star inflated. When it runs out of fuel, it will collapse into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole - depending on how much mass is left in the star.
Either a giant or a super giant. Giants will eventually collapse on its core and have a little white dwarf left behind, but they will have the same mass and gravity as the old star. Supergiants will collapse but in an explosion, supernova, and they will either become a nuetron star or a black hole.