Let's compare the acceleration due to gravity at the surface of a Sun-like star to a white dwarf of similar mass. We know that the force of gravity comes from F= G*m_1*m_2/r^2 and that F = m * a from some of Newton's laws. As such, we know that the acceleration due to gravity is given by a_g = G*m/r^2. With that in mind, let's say that we have a white dwarf star is approximately the size of the Earth which is 1/100 radius of the Sun (0.01 R Sun) and that the white dwarf has a mass that is approximately half the mass of the Sun (0.5 M_Sun). What is the ratio of the acceleration due to gravity at the surface of the white dwarf star (aka the surface gravity) compared to the surface gravity of the Sun-like star (assume its mass is 1 M_sun and radius is 1 R_Sun).?

Astronomy
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ISBN:9781938168284
Author:Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff
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Chapter23: The Death Of Stars
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 35E: Say that a particular white dwarf has the mass of the Sun but the radius of Earth. What is the...
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Let's compare the acceleration due to gravity at the surface of a Sun-like star to a white dwarf of similar mass. We know that the force of gravity comes from F= G*m_1*m_2/r^2 and that F = m * a from some of Newton's laws. As such, we know that the acceleration due to gravity is given by a_g = G*m/r^2.

With that in mind, let's say that we have a white dwarf star is approximately the size of the Earth which is 1/100 radius of the Sun (0.01 R Sun) and that the white dwarf has a mass that is approximately half the mass of the Sun (0.5 M_Sun). What is the ratio of the acceleration due to gravity at the surface of the white dwarf star (aka the surface gravity) compared to the surface gravity of the Sun-like star (assume its mass is 1 M_sun and radius is 1 R_Sun).? 

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