What is the Chandrasekhar limit and how is it related to black holes?
This figure — 1.4 times the mass of our sun — is now known as the “Chandrasekhar limit,” and it’s key to understanding the evolution of stars in our universe. Beyond this limit, stars at the end of their lives either explode into a supernova or explode and then collapse into a neutron star or even a black hole.
Why does a white dwarf not become a black hole?
White dwarfs are thought to be the final evolutionary state of stars whose mass is not high enough to become a neutron star or black hole. Stars of very low mass will not be able to fuse helium, hence, a helium white dwarf may form by mass loss in binary systems.
What prevents a white dwarf from collapsing to a black hole?
The fact that electrons are fermions is what keeps white dwarf stars from collapsing under their own gravity; the fact that neutrons are fermions prevents neutron stars from collapsing further.
What is the white dwarf limit?
1.4 solar masses
The Chandrasekhar Limit of 1.4 solar masses, is the theoretical maximum mass a white dwarf star can have and still remain a white dwarf (though this limit does vary slightly depending on the metallicity).
What is meant by Chandrasekhar limit explain its significance?
: the maximum mass at which a star near the end of its life cycle can become a white dwarf and above which the star will collapse to form a neutron star or black hole : a stellar mass equal to about 1.4 solar masses.
Why does the Chandrasekhar limit exist?
The significance of the Chandrasekhar limit is that it is accepted to be 1.4 times the mass of the sun such that if the white dwarf is within the limit they stay as such forever whereas the star that exceeds the limit will experience explosions turning into a supernova.
What happens if a white dwarf exceeds the Chandrasekhar limit?
The Chandrasekhar limit (/tʃʌndrəˈseɪkər/) is the maximum mass of a stable white dwarf star. Consequently, a white dwarf with a mass greater than the limit is subject to further gravitational collapse, evolving into a different type of stellar remnant, such as a neutron star or black hole.
What supports a white dwarf against gravitational collapse?
In particular, electron degeneracy pressure is what supports white dwarfs against gravitational collapse, and the Chandrasekhar limit (the maximum mass a white dwarf can attain) arises naturally due to the physics of electron degeneracy.
Is Chandrasekhar limit correct?
The Chandrasekhar limit (/tʃʌndrəˈseɪkər/) is the maximum mass of a stable white dwarf star. The currently accepted value of the Chandrasekhar limit is about 1.4 M ☉ (2.765×1030 kg).
What happens if a star exceeds Chandrasekhar limit?
The Chandrasekhar Limit is now accepted to be approximately 1.4 times the mass of the sun; any white dwarf with less than this mass will stay a white dwarf forever, while a star that exceeds this mass is destined to end its life in that most violent of explosions: a supernova.