Finding the minimum mass of a star consisting entirely of helium

In summary, the question is asking for an estimate of the minimum mass required for a star made entirely of helium to ignite helium. The assumptions given are that helium ignites at a temperature of 10e8 K, the critical mass can be determined by the condition that the ideal gas pressure and electron degeneracy pressure are equally important at the moment of ignition, and the homology relations for pressure and density can be used. The necessary polytrope equation for this problem is Pc=Kρc1+1/n, where n=1/2. The ideal gas law, PV=NkBT, can be used to incorporate temperature into the equation. However, it is unclear how to incorporate the assumption about the equal importance of ideal
  • #1
Stammer91
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Homework Statement



Consider a star that consists entirely of helium. Make an estimate of the minimum mass for which such a star can ignite helium using the following assumptions:
(i) helium ignites at a temperature of Tc = 10e8 K.
(ii) assume that the critical mass can be determined by the condidion that the ideal gas pressure and the electron degeneracy pressure are equally important in the star at the moment of ignition.
(iii) use the homology relations for the pressure and the density. you can assumed the solar central pressure, Pc,solar = 10e17 g/(cm*s2) and solar central density, ρc,solar = 60 g/cm3

Homework Equations



Necessary polytrope: Pc=Kρc1+[itex]\frac{1}{n}[/itex]
Ideal Gas Law: PV=NkBT
Homology relations: [itex]P=\frac{M^2}{R^4}[/itex] and [itex]\rho=\frac{M}{R^3}[/itex]

The Attempt at a Solution



I know I first need to solve the polytrope where n=1/2; this will produce the constant, K. I also know the homology relations will give you scalings of the system, and that the ideal gas law will incorporate temperature, T, when the pressure is replaced with the ideal gas equation. The part I am stuck at involves assumption (ii) in deriving the initial equation that I will manipulate with the above statements.
 
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  • #2
How do I use the condition that the ideal gas pressure and electron degeneracy pressure are equally important at the time of ignition? Can someone nudge me in the right direction?
 

Related to Finding the minimum mass of a star consisting entirely of helium

1. What is the minimum mass for a star made of only helium?

The minimum mass for a star made of only helium is approximately 0.08 times the mass of the sun, or 80 times the mass of Jupiter. This is known as the helium mass cutoff, below which a star cannot sustain nuclear fusion in its core and is considered a brown dwarf.

2. How is the minimum mass of a helium star calculated?

The minimum mass of a helium star is calculated using the Chandrasekhar limit, which is the maximum mass that a white dwarf star can have before it collapses into a neutron star or black hole. This limit is approximately 1.4 times the mass of the sun, and the minimum mass for a helium star is about 0.057 times the Chandrasekhar limit.

3. Can a star be made entirely of helium?

Yes, a star can be made entirely of helium. These types of stars are known as helium stars or helium-rich stars, and they are formed when a star has exhausted all of its hydrogen fuel and starts fusing helium in its core. However, the minimum mass for such a star is limited by the helium mass cutoff.

4. How does the minimum mass of a helium star compare to the minimum mass of a hydrogen star?

The minimum mass for a helium star is significantly lower than the minimum mass for a hydrogen star. While the minimum mass for a helium star is about 0.08 times the mass of the sun, the minimum mass for a hydrogen star is about 0.08 times the mass of the sun, or 80 times the mass of Jupiter.

5. Is the minimum mass for a helium star the same for all stars?

No, the minimum mass for a helium star can vary depending on the composition and age of the star. Younger, more massive stars may have a higher minimum mass as they have more available fuel for nuclear fusion. Additionally, the minimum mass can also be affected by the presence of other elements in the star's composition.

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