Suppose a white dwarf is gaining mass because of accretion in a binary system.What happens if the mass someday reaches the 1.4-solar-mass limit?
A)The white dwarf undergoes a catastrophic collapse,leading to a type of supernova that is somewhat different from that which occurs in a massive star but is comparable in energy.
B)The white dwarf,which is made mostly of carbon,suddenly becomes much hotter in temperature and therefore is able to begin fusing the carbon.This turns the white dwarf back into a star supported against gravity by ordinary pressure.
C)The white dwarf immediately collapses into a black hole,disappearing from view.
D)A white dwarf can never gain enough mass to reach the limit because a strong stellar wind prevents the material from reaching it in the first place.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When the mass of the white dwarf reaches the 1.4-solar-mass limit, also known as the Chandrasekhar limit, electron degeneracy pressure is no longer sufficient to counteract gravity, resulting in a catastrophic collapse that leads to a type of supernova known as a Type Ia supernova. This is different from the supernova that occurs in a massive star, but the energy released is comparable.

Suppose a White Dwarf Is Gaining Mass Because of Accretion