A white dwarf is
A) the exposed core of a dead star, supported by electron degeneracy pressure.
B) the exposed core of a dead star, supported by neutron degeneracy pressure.
C) a hot but very small main sequence star with a mass of less than 1.4 solar masses.
D) a cool and very small main sequence star with a mass of less than 1.4 of a solar masses.
E) the name for the singularity at the center of a black hole.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A white dwarf is the exposed core of a dead star, supported by electron degeneracy pressure. This occurs when a star with a mass less than around 8 solar masses exhausts its nuclear fuel and undergoes gravitational collapse, shedding its outer layers and leaving behind a dense core composed mostly of carbon and oxygen. The core is then supported by the outward pressure of electrons, which cannot occupy the same quantum state, creating a degenerate electron gas.

A White Dwarf Is