How do stars typically end their life cycles?

Stars end their life cycles based on their mass, which is a crucial factor in determining their ultimate fate. For massive stars, after exhausting their nuclear fuel, they can undergo a supernova explosion, leaving behind a neutron star or a black hole, depending on their initial mass. In contrast, stars of smaller mass, like our Sun, expand into red giants and eventually shed their outer layers, leading to the formation of a planetary nebula, with the core remaining as a white dwarf.

This process is rooted in the stellar lifecycle, where a star spends the majority of its life in the main sequence phase, fusing hydrogen into helium, followed by later stages dictated by mass. Thus, the outcomes of becoming white dwarfs, neutron stars, or black holes distinctly illustrate how different mass ranges govern stellar evolution. The variety in outcomes highlights the complex nature of stellar lifecycles and clearly explains why option C accurately captures the essence of how stars typically conclude their existence.