Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2005/ii/paper-2/10d/b/solution

Within the prescribed uniform-density approximation, . Treating the given approximate pressure coefficient as one, the degeneracy pressure and specified kinetic-energy relation give
For a uniform sphere, , so shell assembly gives
Thus
At fixed mass, this energy has its minimum at , with . Expansion beyond this radius raises the energy, while strong compression costs positive energy growing as , faster than the attractive term. This explains radial stability of the model white dwarf. The numerical coefficient in inherits the approximate pressure law; a relativistic degeneracy law would change this stability argument.

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