Hello, we are young boys wondering: What size does a star have to be to explode in a supernova?

Question: Hello, we are young boys wondering: What size does a star have to be to explode in a supernova?
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Asked by jerryfabode to Chia-Yu, Helen, Matthew, Matt H, Rhod on 17 Jun 2013.
- Matthew Hudson answered on 17 Jun 2013:
  
  Supernovas are formed when a star starts to run out of fuel and energy. As this happens the gravity of the star starts to pull everything into the centre. This squeezes the star which starts a lot more nuclear reactions which make it explode outwards!
  
  Imagine taking a half inflated balloon and squeezing it very tightly in the middle, the end of the balloon would burst outwards and expand very quickly!

Question: Hello, we are young boys wondering: What size does a star have to be to explode in a supernova?