Question

The limit beyond which stars suffer internal collapse is called the

• A. Raman Effect
• B. Chandrasekhar limit
• C. Aurora Borealis
• D. Quasar Zone

Hint:

The Chandrasekhar limit is about 1.4 solar masses, the ceiling for a stable white dwarf.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept.
A white dwarf star is held up against gravity by electron degeneracy pressure, but this support only works up to a certain mass.

Step 2: Check the options.
The Raman Effect is about the scattering of light and change in its wavelength, unrelated to stellar collapse, so option A is wrong. Aurora Borealis is the northern lights phenomenon caused by charged solar particles hitting the atmosphere, so option C is wrong. “Quasar Zone” is not a standard astrophysics term for this limit, so option D is wrong.

Step 3: Final Answer.
The mass limit (about 1.4 times the mass of the Sun) beyond which a white dwarf cannot support itself and collapses further is called the Chandrasekhar limit, named after physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. Option B is correct.