White Dwarfs and Neutron Stars

Flashcards covering key concepts related to white dwarfs and neutron stars.

White Dwarf

A star that remains after the envelope is expelled back into space, characterized by cooling and shrinking.

Electron Degeneracy Pressure

The quantum mechanical effect that prevents electrons from getting too close, thus supporting white dwarfs.

Chandrasekhar Limit

The maximum mass (approximately 1.4 solar masses) that a white dwarf can have before it may explode as a supernova.

Planetary Nebula

The expelled envelope of a star that leaves behind a white dwarf core.

Neutron Star

The remnant of a massive star that has undergone a supernova, composed mostly of neutrons.

Supernova

An explosive death of a star, which occurs when a white dwarf exceeds the Chandrasekhar limit.

Pulsar

A type of neutron star that emits beams of radiation that sweep across space as it spins.

Degenerate Carbon Cores

The dense core of a star that leads to runaway carbon fusion and can result in a supernova.

Density of White Dwarfs

Approximately one million grams per cubic centimeter; extremely dense, comparable to an entire baseball team's mass in a teaspoon.

Binary System

A system in which two stars orbit each other; can lead to mass transfer causing one white dwarf to exceed its Chandrasekhar limit.