White Dwarf Stars Overview

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts related to white dwarf stars, including their properties, physical principles, and the limits governing their existence.

White Dwarf Star

A stellar remnant composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter, known for its high density and low luminosity.

Sirius B

A well-known white dwarf star that is part of the Sirius star system.

Basic White Dwarf Properties

Radius approximately 0.01 solar radii, mass around 0.7 solar masses, and density of about 10^6 g/cm3.

Hydrostatic Equilibrium

A condition where pressure balances the force of gravity, achieved in white dwarfs.

Degeneracy Pressure

The pressure exerted by electrons that allows white dwarfs to resist gravitational collapse.

Chandrasekhar Limit

The maximum mass of a white dwarf, approximately 1.4 solar masses, beyond which it cannot support itself against gravitational collapse.

Electron Degeneracy Pressure

A quantum mechanical effect that arises from the Pauli exclusion principle, providing support against gravitational collapse in white dwarfs.

Fully-Ionized He, C, O Nuclei

The composition of particles in a white dwarf, comprising primarily helium, carbon, and oxygen nuclei.

Thermal Equilibrium in White Dwarfs

A state where a white dwarf loses luminosity without undergoing fusion, leading to a gradual cooling process.

Mass-Radius Relation

A principle that indicates that an increase in the mass of a white dwarf requires a decrease in its radius to maintain electron degeneracy pressure.