Chandrasekhar Limit: Overview, Questions, Preparation

We all know the universal nature of our surroundings, that everything dies one day, be it humans, plants, things, or even stars. Stars stay in contact with the help of hydrogen. When they run out of hydrogen, they collapse. Not all of them collapse in the same way though. The big stars collapse in black holes or supernovae. This discovery was possible with the help of Chandrasekhar. He is famous for his discoveries and studies about the collision of stars and how they collapse into white dwarfs after their death.

I know the maximum level of mass that a white dwarf star can have as Chandrasekhar Limit. White dwarf star needs to be stable to have the maximum limit of mass.

Initially, most scientists did not believe in this theory because it would legitimise the black hole’s existence. The limit of the Chandrasekhar Limit is 1.39 M at the time.

At first, E.C. Stoner and Wilhelm Anderson made the discoveries which Chandrasekhar later précised.

The applications of the Chandrasekhar Limit are as follows:

1. The fusion of lighter nuclei elements with the heavier nuclei elements resists the collision of the stars. When the exhaustion of the nuclei takes place, the core of the stars becomes hotter and condensed.
2. If any star’s mass would come down to 8 or less than 8, it will sooner or later come to a point where it falls under the lower limit of the Chandrasekhar Limit.
3. The stars having a stronger mass than others will convert into black holes because the electrons’ degeneration will help the stars resist the collision until the density increases.

The determination of the maximum level of the mass of a white dwarf star is done with the help of the Chandrasekhar Limit. It is equivalent to 1.44 solar masses. When this limit exceeds, the star will turn into a black hole or a neutron star.

The chapter ‘Celestial Bodies’ holds a weightage of 4 marks. It includes 3 questions in total, consisting of two questions of 1 mark each and one short question of 2 marks bringing a total to 4 marks.

Illustrated Examples

Example 1) Write the limit of Chandrasekhar Limit these days.

Answer – The limit of the Chandrasekhar Limit is 1.39 M at the time.

Example 2) Write an application of Chandrasekhar Limit.

Answer – The fusion of lighter nuclei elements with the heavier nuclei elements resists the collision of the stars. When the exhaustion of the nuclei takes place, the core of the stars becomes hotter and condensed.

Example 3) Write the Chandrasekhar Limit for a neutron star.

Answer – The Chandrasekhar Limit for a neutron star is 3 Msun.

Q: What do you mean by Chandrasekhar Limit?

Q: What is the Chandrasekhar Unit?

Q: What are the consequences if a neutron star hit a black hole?

Q: What is the limit of a black hole?

Q: What is the reason behind neutrons spinning so fast?