Chandrasekhar Limit Calculator Formula
Understand the math behind the chandrasekhar limit calculator. Each variable explained with a worked example.
Formulas Used
Chandrasekhar Limit
chandrasekhar_mass = 5.83 / pow(mu_e, 2)Limit (kg)
chandrasekhar_kg = 5.83 / pow(mu_e, 2) * 1.989e30Variables
| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
mu_e | Mean Molecular Weight per Electron | 2 |
How It Works
The Chandrasekhar Limit
The maximum mass a white dwarf can have before electron degeneracy pressure cannot support it against gravity.
Formula
M_Ch ≈ 5.83 / mu_e² solar masses
For a typical carbon-oxygen white dwarf, mu_e = 2, giving M_Ch ≈ 1.46 M_sun. Above this, the star collapses to a neutron star or explodes as a Type Ia supernova.
Worked Example
Carbon-oxygen white dwarf (mu_e = 2).
- 01M_Ch = 5.83 / mu_e²
- 02M_Ch = 5.83 / 4 = 1.4575 M_sun
- 03In kg: 1.4575 × 1.989e30 = 2.899e30 kg
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens above the Chandrasekhar limit?
The white dwarf collapses. If accreting matter from a companion, it may explode as a Type Ia supernova, used as a standard candle in cosmology.
What is electron degeneracy pressure?
A quantum mechanical effect: electrons resist being squeezed into the same state (Pauli exclusion), creating outward pressure independent of temperature.
Who was Chandrasekhar?
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (1910-1995) was an Indian-American astrophysicist who derived this limit at age 19 and won the Nobel Prize in 1983.
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