Nonrelativistic electron-degeneracy pressure in a hydrogen-helium mixture ($P_e=K{\rho }^{5/3}$)

For completely degenerate, nonrelativistic electrons in fully ionized hydrogen and helium with hydrogen mass fraction $X$, $n_e=(1+X)\rho /(2m_p)$. Filling the spin-degenerate momentum states to $p_F$ gives $n_e=8\pi p_F^3/(3h^3)$ and $P_e=(1/3){\int }_0^{p_F}(p^2/m_e)(8\pi p^2/h^3)dp=8\pi p_F^5/(15m_e{h}^3)$. Eliminating $p_F$ gives $P_e=K{\rho }^{5/3}$, whereIt is a polytropic index $3/2$ relation. Complete degeneracy suppresses thermal dependence, while the nonrelativistic assumption requires $p_F\ll m_{e}c$.