What are core collapses?

Core collapses are like when a giant balloon suddenly pops because it can’t hold everything inside anymore.

Imagine you have a balloon that’s filled with air, but not just any air. It's filled with stuff so heavy and hot, it's like the air is burning from the inside out. This is what happens in stars, especially really big ones.

In a star, heat and pressure keep things balanced. Think of it like blowing up a balloon, you blow more air in, and it expands. But when the star runs out of fuel to burn, it can’t make as much heat or pressure anymore.

So the outside parts of the star fall inward, like when you let go of a balloon and it deflates quickly. The inside gets super hot and dense, causing a powerful explosion, this is what we see as a supernova!

It’s like when your favorite ice cream melts in the sun, everything becomes messy and exciting at once!