Suppose that a white dwarf is gaining mass through accretion in a binary system. What happens if the mass someday reaches the 1.4 solar mass limit?
A) The white dwarf will explode completely as a white dwarf supernova.
B) The white dwarf will collapse in size, becoming a neutron star.
C) The white dwarf will undergo a nova explosion.
D) The white dwarf will collapse to become a black hole.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When the mass of a white dwarf in a binary system reaches 1.4 solar masses (called the Chandrasekhar limit), it will no longer be able to support its own weight through electron degeneracy pressure. At this point, the core of the white dwarf will collapse, triggering nuclear fusion that rapidly consumes the entire star and causes a thermonuclear explosion known as a white dwarf supernova.

Suppose That a White Dwarf Is Gaining Mass Through Accretion