Final answer:
In a binary system with a white dwarf near 1.4 solar masses, the white dwarf may exceed the Chandrasekhar limit and result in a Type Ia supernova, completely destroying the star.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a binary system containing a white dwarf with a mass approaching or equivalent to about 1.4 M☉ (solar masses), one would expect a catastrophic event if the mass exceeds the Chandrasekhar limit. This limit is the maximum mass that a white dwarf can have before it can no longer support itself against gravitational collapse due to electron degeneracy pressure. When a white dwarf's mass goes over this limit, it begins to contract and heat up, leading up to an explosive end known as a Type Ia supernova.
During this process, new nuclear reactions ignite in the degenerate core, and the white dwarf 'simmers' for a period as it builds up internal temperature. Eventually, this simmering phase culminates in a massive and rapid fusion reaction, particularly of carbon, that results in the white dwarf being completely destroyed in an explosion. The remnants of this explosion are ejected into space at high velocities, with no traces of the white dwarf left behind.