Black dwarf
Definition
A black dwarf is a theoretical stellar remnant that results when a white dwarf has cooled sufficiently that it no longer emits significant heat or light. It represents the final evolutionary stage of low-mass stars.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
- Black dwarfs are predicted to form from white dwarfs over a timescale longer than the current age of the universe.
- A black dwarf will have a mass similar to that of the original white dwarf, typically around 0.6 to 1.4 solar masses.
- They do not emit light and are therefore invisible to direct observation with current technology.
- The formation process involves the gradual cooling and crystallization of a white dwarf over billions of years.
- No black dwarfs currently exist because not enough time has passed since the universe's formation for any white dwarf to cool into one.
Review Questions
- What is the primary difference between a white dwarf and a black dwarf?
- Why are there no observed black dwarfs in our universe today?
- How does the mass of a black dwarf compare to its progenitor white dwarf?
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Related terms
White Dwarf: A small, dense stellar remnant left after a low-mass star has exhausted its nuclear fuel and shed its outer layers.
Red Giant: A late evolutionary stage in which a low- or intermediate-mass star expands significantly and cools after exhausting hydrogen in its core.
Planetary Nebula: An expanding shell of ionized gas ejected from red giant stars late in their life cycle, preceding the formation of a white dwarf.
