Final answer:
An accretion disk can form around a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole in a binary system. This can give rise to novae or type Ia supernovae depending on the rate of mass transfer. In neutron stars, it also produces X-ray bursts and can accelerate pulsars.
Step-by-step explanation:
An accretion disk can form around a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole in a binary system when mass is transferred from a companion star. This process can lead to various astronomical phenomena. For instance, if a white dwarf gains mass slowly, a nova may occur, while rapid mass gain can push a white dwarf over the Chandrasekhar limit, resulting in a type Ia supernova. Additionally, this type of supernova may also be caused by the merger of two white dwarfs. When material falls onto a neutron star, it can create powerful X-ray bursts, and the transfer of material and angular momentum can increase the rotation speed of pulsars significantly.