In a fully degenerate gas, all the particles have energies lower than the Fermi energy.  Using the provided equation for the Fermi energy (EF), and assuming a white dwarf star has a temperature T = 107 K and a mass M = 1Msun, evaluate numerically the ratio Eth/EF, where Eth is the characteristic thermal energy of an electron in a gas of temperature T, to prove that the electrons inside a white dwarf are indeed degenerate. (Hint: Estimate the characteristic density (ne) based on the given conditions inside

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In a fully degenerate gas, all the particles have energies lower than the Fermi energy. 

  • Using the provided equation for the Fermi energy (EF), and assuming a white dwarf star has a temperature T = 107 K and a mass M = 1Msun, evaluate numerically the ratio Eth/EF, where Eth is the characteristic thermal energy of an electron in a gas of temperature T, to prove that the electrons inside a white dwarf are indeed degenerate.

(Hint: Estimate the characteristic density (ne) based on the given conditions inside a white dwarf)

1 (3h³ney2/3
8T
EF=;
2me
Transcribed Image Text:1 (3h³ney2/3 8T EF=; 2me
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