Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2022/iii/paper-317/4/ii/solution

The radiative-pressure equation is
Dividing by hydrostatic equilibrium and substituting
gives
a constant. Since both pressures vanish at the surface,
and is constant throughout the star. Part i therefore has
with spatially constant .
Writing and
gives the Lane-Emden equation
The surface is the first zero . The equation has no elementary closed-form solution; among nonnegative indices, the standard analytic cases are . This Eddington standard model approximates chemically homogeneous massive main-sequence stars with substantial radiation pressure.

New to topics? Read the docs here!