Question

Cumulative

Which characteristics best describe white dwarfs as compared to giants?
A) Higher luminosity and larger size
B) Higher luminosity and smaller size
C) Lower luminosity and larger size
D) Lower luminosity and smaller size

Answer 1

White dwarfs are characterized by lower luminosity and smaller size compared to giants, making option D the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The characteristics that best describe white dwarfs, as compared to giants, are lower luminosity and smaller size. Hence, the correct answer is D) Lower luminosity and smaller size. White dwarfs are remnants of stars that have exhausted their nuclear fuel and are no longer undergoing nuclear fusion at their core. Despite their high surface temperatures, white dwarfs have low luminosity compared to giants because they have a much smaller surface area. Giants, on the other hand, are very luminous and have large sizes due to their extended outer layers.