What quantum mechanical phenomenon supports a white dwarf against gravity?
Answer
Electron degeneracy pressure
A white dwarf is characterized by extreme density, packing solar-like mass into an Earth-sized volume. The enormous gravitational force trying to crush this remnant is counteracted not by active heat pressure from ongoing fusion, which has ceased, but by a purely quantum mechanical effect. This effect is electron degeneracy pressure, which arises because the Pauli exclusion principle forbids electrons from occupying the same quantum state when packed too closely together. This principle establishes a rigid, outward pressure that is independent of temperature, serving as the essential structural support for the compact stellar remnant.
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