The Death of Low-Mass Stars-Chapter 23

These flashcards cover key concepts related to low-mass stars, their evolution, and ultimate fates, including white dwarfs and supernovae.

Low-Mass Stars

Stars whose final mass before death is less than about 1.4 times the mass of the Sun.

Chandrasekhar Limit

The maximum mass that a star can have and still become a white dwarf, approximately equal to 1.4 times the mass of the Sun.

Degenerate Matter

Matter that is in a state where particles (electrons) cannot occupy the same quantum state, leading to unusual behaviors in dense stellar remnants.

White Dwarfs

Stable, compact objects that are the remnants of low-mass stars, composed primarily of carbon and oxygen.

Electron Degeneracy Pressure

The pressure exerted by electrons in a degenerate gas that prevents further gravitational collapse of a stellar core.

Neutron Stars

Highly dense remnants of massive stars that undergo supernova explosions, primarily composed of neutrons.

Supernova

A catastrophic explosion of a star that occurs at the end of its life cycle, often resulting in the creation of neutron stars or black holes.

Type Ia Supernova

A type of supernova that occurs in binary systems involving a white dwarf that accumulates matter from a companion star, leading to a runaway fusion reaction.

Type II Supernova

A type of supernova resulting from the gravitational collapse of massive stars after exhausting their nuclear fuel.

Pulsars

Rapidly rotating neutron stars emitting beams of radiation observed as pulses when the beam points toward Earth.

Fusion

The process by which lighter atomic nuclei combine to form heavier nuclei, releasing energy in stars.

Degeneracy Pressure

The pressure that arises from the quantum mechanical effect that prevents two indistinguishable particles from occupying the same state.

Planetary Nebula

A shell of gas ejected from a low-mass star late in its life, surrounding the star that formed it.

Mass Loss

The process through which stars shed a significant portion of their mass during various stages of their evolution.