If a white dwarf's mass exceeds the Chandrasekhar Limit, what usually happens next?
Answer
Carbon fusion ignites explosively, leading to a Type Ia supernova.
Exceeding the mass limit causes electron degeneracy pressure to fail, triggering catastrophic gravitational collapse that rapidly increases temperature and density, igniting runaway carbon fusion and destroying the star.
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Why Don't White Dwarfs Fuse Their Carbon and Oxygen? - YouTube
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