Objects supported by electron degeneracy pressure
\n\t\t\t\tspan a broad range of masses.\u00a0 The low-mass end of this
\n\t\t\t\trange, which is near the mass of Saturn, is set by the
\n\t\t\t\ttransition from pressure exerted by atoms to pressure
\n\t\t\t\texerted by degenerate electrons.\u00a0 The high end of this range,
\n\t\t\t\twhich is 1.4 solar masses, is set by the gravitational
\n\t\t\t\tinstability that arises when the degenerate electrons have
\n\t\t\t\tkinetic energies equal to the electron rest-mass energy.
\n\t\t\t\tThese limits are given by several fundamental constants
\n\t\t\t\tof physics.\u00a0 Despite the neutron stars being supported
\n\t\t\t\tby neutron and proton degeneracy pressure rather than
\n\t\t\t\telectron degeneracy pressure, they have an upper mass
\n\t\t\t\tsimilar to that of the degenerate dwarf.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Objects supported by electron degeneracy pressure span a broad range of masses.\u00a0 The low-mass end of this range, which is near the mass of Saturn, is set by the transition from pressure exerted by atoms to pressure exerted by degenerate … Continue reading