What critical mass threshold must the iron core reach to instantly trigger gravitational implosion?
Answer
The Chandrasekhar limit, roughly 1.4 times the mass of the Sun.
When the iron core accumulates to a critical mass known as the Chandrasekhar limit, calculated to be roughly 1.4 times the mass of the Sun, the star can no longer produce the thermal pressure required to support its layers, and gravity instantly wins.
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