Question

Is the surface temperature of white dwarf stars higher or lower than red super giants?

Answer 1

White dwarf stars have higher surface temperatures compared to red supergiants, but red supergiants have a greater total power output due to their larger size.

Step-by-step explanation:

The surface temperature of white dwarf stars is generally higher than that of red supergiants. For example, a typical white dwarf has a surface temperature of approximately 25,000 K, which is significantly hotter than a red supergiant's surface temperature, which is about 3,000 - 4,000 K. However, the total power radiated by a red supergiant is much greater than that of a white dwarf due to the red supergiant's much larger surface area. The power output per unit area can be calculated using Stefan's law, indicating that although white dwarfs are smaller, they are very dense and emit a lot of energy per square meter due to their high temperatures. Nonetheless, their small size results in lower total luminosity compared to the vastly larger red supergiants.

Answer 2

The surface temperature of white dwarf stars is higher than that of red super giants. White dwarf stars are extremely hot when they form, and they start cooling off as time goes by. Red supergiants, on the other hand, are enormous dying stars, and they are quite cool. So, having this in mind, white dwarves are hotter than red supergiants. Hope I helped! :) Cheers!