How Is It That White Dwarfs, Which Are Relatively Small

question 108

Multiple Choice

How is it that white dwarfs, which are relatively small, can have surface temperatures of several tens of thousands of kelvins?

• A) They are actually very similar in size and temperature to small main-sequence stars like red dwarfs.
• B) The nuclear fusion in the core of a white dwarf involves carbon and oxygen, and this produces more energy and heat than either hydrogen or helium fusion.
• C) The surface of the white dwarf is actually the core since the cooler outer layers have been blown off.
• D) Because white dwarfs are fully convective, the nuclear fusion takes place on the surface.

---

Definitions:

Rhonchi

Low-pitched, rattling lung sounds that suggest blocked airflow, often heard in cases of chronic mucus production.

Auscultating

The act of listening to sounds from the heart, lungs, or other organs, typically with a stethoscope, as part of a medical examination.

Respiratory Rate

The number of breaths taken per minute, a vital sign indicating the rate of breathing.

Vital Signs

Measurements of the body's most basic functions, including temperature, pulse, respiration rate, and blood pressure, used to assess general physical health.