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Chandrasekhar limit
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Maximum white dwarf mass of 1.4 solar masses.
M ≈ 1.4 M☉Above about 1.4 M☉ electron degeneracy can't support a white dwarf; it collapses to a neutron star or explodes. Derived by Chandrasekhar in 1930.
Type Ia supernovae occur near this mass.
Depends on composition.
In more detail
The Chandrasekhar limit is about 1.4 solar masses, the maximum mass a white dwarf can have before electron degeneracy pressure fails. Above it, the star collapses further.
Real-world uses
- The limit explains why some white dwarfs explode as Type Ia supernovae.
- It sets the mass scale for stellar remnants.
- Astrophysicists use the Chandrasekhar limit to explain why some white dwarfs explode as Type Ia supernovae.
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Frequently asked questions
Who discovered the limit?
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, who received the 1983 Nobel Prize.
What happens above the limit?
The star becomes a neutron star or a black hole, depending on its mass.
What happens if a white dwarf exceeds the limit?
It cannot be supported by electron degeneracy pressure, so it collapses, often triggering a supernova or forming a neutron star.
Related topics in Particle Physics & Cosmology
Stellar nucleosynthesis · Supernovae · White dwarfs · Neutron stars and pulsars · Black holes in astrophysics · Galaxies