Astronomy quiz question: the sun becoming a neutron star?

Astronomy 210 Quiz 5, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

The sun will never become a neutron star because it:
(A) has no companion star.
(B) does not have enough mass.
(C) has a main sequence lifetime that is too long.
(D) will have nothing left after its type II supernova explosion.

Correct answer: (B)

A massive star will either evolve into a black hole or a neutron star, while a medium-mass star like the sun can only evolved into a white dwarf.

Section 30674
Exam code: quiz05nArf
(A) : 16 students
(B) : 13 students
(C) : 0 students
(D) : 3 students

"Success level": 45% (including partial credit for multiple-choice)
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.78

Section 30676
Exam code: quiz05spH3
(A) : 18 students
(B) : 12 students
(C) : 2 students
(D) : 6 students

"Success level": 37% (including partial credit for multiple-choice)
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.67