Chandrasekhar limit

The Chandrasekhar limit is the maximum mass for a stable white dwarf star, beyond which electron degeneracy pressure cannot prevent gravitational collapse.

This limit is crucial for understanding the fate of white dwarf stars. When a white dwarf exceeds this mass, it can no longer support itself against gravitational forces, leading to potential collapse into a neutron star or black hole.

The value of the Chandrasekhar limit depends on the ratio of electrons to nucleons in the star. For small stars, this ratio is around 1/2, resulting in a limit of approximately 1.44 solar masses.