Astronomy
Astronomy
1st Edition
ISBN: 9781938168284
Author: Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff
Publisher: OpenStax
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Chapter 23, Problem 1E

How does a white dwarf differ from a neutron star? How does each form? What keeps each from collapsing under its own weight?

Expert Solution & Answer
Check Mark
To determine

The way a white dwarf differs from a neutron star.

The way a white dwarf and a neutron star forms.

The reason for each of the star to not collapse.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

A star is a huge ball of plasma. Nuclear fusion reaction takes place in the core powers a star. It generates huge amount of energy in the form of heat and light. Like a living being, a star also takes birth, becomes young, grows old and eventually dies. The lifespan of star depends on its mass.

When a star runs out of fuel, it expels out most of its mass. The remaining core either becomes a white dwarf or a neutron star. It depends on the initial mass of a star. An average mass star like sun expands to become a red-giant first and then ends as a white dwarf star. A heavy mass star expands to become a supergiant and then ends up as a neutron star after its goes supernova. Both of these remnant cores are extremely dense. Electron degeneracy pressure prevents a white dwarf star from collapsing. Neutron degeneracy pressure prevents a neutron star from collapsing.

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Chapter 23 Solutions

Astronomy

Ch. 23 - Describe the evolution of a white dwarf over time,...Ch. 23 - Describe the evolution of a pulsar over time, in...Ch. 23 - How would a white dwarf that formed from a star...Ch. 23 - What do astronomers think are the causes of...Ch. 23 - How did astronomers finally solve the mystery of...Ch. 23 - Arrange the following stars in order of their...Ch. 23 - Would you expect to find any white dwarfs in the...Ch. 23 - Suppose no stars more massive than about 2 MSunhad...Ch. 23 - Would you be more likely to observe a type II...Ch. 23 - Astronomers believe there are something like 100...Ch. 23 - Would you expect to observe every supernova in our...Ch. 23 - The Large Magellanic Cloud has about one-tenth the...Ch. 23 - Look at the list of the nearest stars in Appendix...Ch. 23 - If most stars become white dwarfs at the ends of...Ch. 23 - If a 3 and 8 MSunstar formed together in a binary...Ch. 23 - You have discovered two star clusters. The first...Ch. 23 - A supernova remnant was recently discovered and...Ch. 23 - Based upon the evolution of stars, place the...Ch. 23 - What observations or types of telescopes would you...Ch. 23 - How would the spectra of a type II supernova be...Ch. 23 - The ring around SN 1987A (Figure 23.12) initially...Ch. 23 - What is the acceleration of gravity (g) at the...Ch. 23 - What is the escape velocity from the Sun? How much...Ch. 23 - What is the average density of the Sun? How does...Ch. 23 - Say that a particular white dwarf has the mass of...Ch. 23 - What is the escape velocity from the white dwarf...Ch. 23 - What is the average density of the white dwarf in...Ch. 23 - Now take a neutron star that has twice the mass of...Ch. 23 - What is the escape velocity from the neutron star...Ch. 23 - What is the average density of the neutron star in...Ch. 23 - One way to calculate the radius of a star is to...Ch. 23 - According to a model described in the text, a...Ch. 23 - Do the same calculations as in Exercise 23.42 but...Ch. 23 - If the Sun were replaced by a white dwarf with a...Ch. 23 - A supernova can eject material at a velocity of...Ch. 23 - A supernova remnant was observed in 2007 to be...Ch. 23 - The ring around SN 1987A (Figure 23.12) started...Ch. 23 - Before the star that became SN 1987A exploded, it...Ch. 23 - What is the radius of the progenitor star that...Ch. 23 - What is the acceleration of gravity at the surface...Ch. 23 - What was the escape velocity from the surface of...Ch. 23 - What was the average density of the star that...Ch. 23 - If the pulsar shown in Figure 23.16 is rotating...

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