Leumas Physics

Chandrasekhar Mass Limit

M_ch = 1.44·M_sun·(2/mu_e)^2

What it says

The heaviest a white dwarf can be before electron degeneracy pressure fails and it collapses.

Symbols

SymbolQuantityDimension
M_chLimiting mass (kg)M
mu_eMean molecular weight per electron (dimensionless)1

Work it out

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Filed under Astrophysics · derive through it in the explorer