Posted by Art on November 19, 1997 at 15:11:27:
In Reply to: help... posted by Helyn on November 19, 1997 at 13:23:09:
: Could someone please explain electron degeneracy pressure
: and neutron degeneracy pressure to me? What are the
: differences between the two?
: thanks..
The degeneracy condition means that the particles, electrons, or neutrons,
stack up in quantum levels, like electrons do in atoms or neutrons do in nuclei.
Degenerate electrons make the star like a giant atom.
Degenerate neutrons make the star like a giant nucleus.
Degenerate electrons play a role in the contracting core
of an aging main sequence star at Helium flash. The helium flash
burns through much of the core in a few monents, because the degenerate
electrons do not expand much when heated. The final remnent,
white dwarf, up holds its pressure without necessarily being hot
by electron degeneracy pressure.
Neutron degeneracy up holds the pressure of a neutron star.
Both conditions are much denser than anything we have on Earth,
with degenerate neutrons being vastly denser than degenerate electrons.
Both conditions can withstand vast pressures, but not
unlimited pressure.
A white dwarf can collapse to detonate a Type I supernova.
Presumably a neutron star can collapse to a black hole
in some, as yet, unnamed and unseen event.
Post a Followup