AST-1002 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Compact Star, Chinese Astronomy, Atomic Nucleus
Document Summary
A neutron star is the stellar remnant left behind of one of the most cataclysmic events in the universe: a supernova explosion. As the nuclear fuel in the star is exhausted, gravity takes over and drives the star into its final state. The final state is a compact star, such as a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. Stars support themselves against gravitational collapse by generating an enormous pressure in the interior of the star. The three most important sources of pressure are: Our sun is now supported by radiation and classical pressure. Yet, at the final stages of its existence - as a white-dwarf star- it is the quantum mechanical pressure from its electrons that will support the sun. For very massive stars, namely, those exceeding the. Chandrasekhar limit (of 1. 4 solar masses) electron pressure is not effective and the star collapses under its own weight.
