What is the fuel for a supernova?

Answer 1

A supernova occurs when a star exhausts its nuclear fuel, typically hydrogen and helium, leading to a collapse under its own gravity. In the case of a massive star (Type II supernova), the core collapses after fusing heavier elements up to iron, which cannot produce energy through fusion. For a white dwarf (Type Ia supernova), it accumulates material from a companion star until it reaches a critical mass and undergoes a thermonuclear explosion. Thus, the "fuel" for a supernova is the remnants of nuclear fusion processes in a star's life cycle.