Let's start with the question. So what do they call neutron stars or neutrons?
– Stars made of neutrons are called neutron stars
The answer is OK. But if someone asks to explain in a little detail, then if you don't know about neutron star or neutron star, you can't tell. What, why, how questions need to be answered. Let's then discuss what neutron stars are.
Neutron stars
When iron is finally formed in stars through nuclear fusion, the iron atoms combine to form an iron sphere; which does not produce energy through nuclear fusion. Because iron nucleus is the most stable. That is, external stress will not occur. As a result, the sphere will begin to contract due to the force of gravity.
This compressed sphere of iron is held in place by a special type of pressure called
Each iron has some electrons attached to its nucleus. These electrons are fermion type particles. Fermions are a bit fickle. They cannot sit still in one place. That is, does not like to stay in one state. As a result, if they come too close, a pressure is created between them. This pressure is called Fermi pressure; which sustains that iron sphere inside the star.
But the Fermi pressure cannot always sustain the iron sphere. This is because when the mass of the iron sphere in the star grows past a certain mass, it can no longer be sustained by the Fermi pressure. The mass limit up to which the Fermi pressure can sustain an iron sphere is called The Chandrasekhar Limit is about 1.4 times the mass of the Sun. That is, if the iron ball is 1.4 times the mass of the sun, then the Fermi pressure will not be able to sustain the iron ball. The sphere will then shrink into a ball of neutrons.
Now if the iron ball is compressed to become a ball made of neutrons then where did the electrons and protons go?
The answer is – because of the high density, the iron nuclei will get very close to the electrons. And will start eating them. It is called Electrons in an atom revolve around the nucleus in K, L, M orbits, K being the closest. In the K-capture mechanism, the nucleus absorbs the electrons in the K orbital. So in a manner similar to K-capture, iron nuclei begin to eat electrons. The protons inside the nucleus become neutrons along with the electrons they eat.
This change occurs through But it is not like that. Just as something has to be given to get something, the nucleus has to give something. That is a neutrino. Neutrinos are emitted from these nuclei. Thus a sphere of neutrons is formed. So the center of the star is now a neutron star.
Now to the main point —
Just as humans leave their descendants before they die, so when a star ends its life in a supernova, so too does it leave its descendants. Its successor is called Neutron Tara or Neutron Star.
Astonishingly, the star is 20 kilometers in diameter, but its mass is more than 1.4 times that of the Sun! It is very easy to understand how much the density of the star is high! Let's compare this to make it easier to understand. Imagine the mass of the Himalayas in a sugar crystal!
How can such a large amount of mass be contained in such a small space?
Now let's think about it a little deeper.
How can such a large amount of mass be contained in such a small space?
See, an atom has its core mass within its nucleus. The size of the things we see around us is not the size of the nucleus, but the size of the atom. And the radius of an atom is about 100,000 times larger than the radius of the nucleus. It is understood that most of the space in the atom is empty.