Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2008/ii/paper-2/10e/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2008 ii Paper 2 10E Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
For a regular spherical star, mass conservation gives . Multiplying the hydrostatic equilibrium equation by and differentiating therefore yieldsAt the center, finite density implies , so a regular pressure satisfies and . At a free outer boundary in vacuum, ; a surrounding medium would instead prescribe its external pressure.
Differentiate the auxiliary function, using both equations:where enclosed mass is nonzero. Since at the regular center, , whereas . Integrating the strictly negative derivative givesWith nonzero external pressure, the corresponding bound is .
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