Assuming that the mass of the star has not changed much, would the star's
density be low or high?  Why?

---

Request for Question Clarification by wonko-ga on 17 Jul 2003 15:06 PDT

What has happened to the star?

Sincerely,

Wonko

---

Clarification of Question by webweaverlady-ga on 17 Jul 2003 15:08 PDT

The star is dying

"white dwarf
A star that has exhausted most or all of its nuclear fuel and has
collapsed to a very small size. Typically, a white dwarf has a radius
equal to about 0.01 times that of the Sun, but it has a mass roughly
equal to the Sun's. This gives a white dwarf a density about 1 million
times that of water!"

http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/dict_qz.html "Imagine the Universe!
Dictionary"

"A star's equilibrium during the main-sequence phase is the result of
a balance between gravity and pressure, in which pressure's outward
push exactly counteracts gravity's inward pull (Figure 20.1).
Eventually, however, as the hydrogen in the core is consumed, the
balance starts to shift, and both the star's internal structure and
its outward appearance begin to change: the star leaves the main
sequence."

As a star dies, it can no longer overcome its own gravity and
contracts.  The contraction increases the star's density.

http://astronomy.nju.edu.cn/astron/AT3/AT32001.HTM "Leaving the Main
Sequence"

Sincerely,

Wonko

Excellent ! Thanks!