A white dwarf is
A) an object intermediate between planets and stars that will never become a star.
B) a star at the end of its life,with a size close to that of Earth.
C) any main-sequence star with a surface temperature between about 9000 K and 15,000 K.
D) a star at the beginning of its life,with a size 2-10 times that of the Sun.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A white dwarf is a star that has exhausted all of its nuclear energy and has collapsed to a small and dense size, typically with a mass similar to that of the Sun but a size close to that of Earth. White dwarfs are at the end of their life and are no longer undergoing nuclear fusion. They are supported by electron degeneracy pressure, which prevents them from collapsing further. Option A refers to dwarf planets, which are smaller than planets but larger than asteroids. Option C describes main-sequence stars, which are still undergoing nuclear fusion. Option D describes a young star that is still actively fusing hydrogen into helium.

A White Dwarf Is