Can a White Dwarf Explode

question 177

Multiple Choice

Can a white dwarf explode?

• A) Yes, but only if another star collides with it; stars are so far apart in space that this is unlikely ever to have happened in the Galaxy.
• B) Yes, but only if it is in a binary star system.
• C) Yes, but only if nuclear reactions in the white dwarf core reach the stage of silicon fusion, producing iron.
• D) No. White dwarfs are held up by electron degeneracy pressure, and this configuration is stable against collapse or explosion.

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