2006-09-28 15:32:15 · 6 answers · asked by tom science 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Since a neutron star retains most of the angular momentum of its parent star but has only a tiny fraction of its parent's radius, the moment of inertia decreases sharply causing a rotational acceleration to a very high rotation speed, with one revolution taking anywhere from one seven-hundredth of a second to thirty seconds. The neutron star's compactness also gives it high surface gravity, 2×1011 to 3×1012 times stronger than that of Earth. One of the measures for the gravity is the escape velocity, the velocity needed for an object to escape from the gravitational field to infinite distance. For a neutron star, such velocities are typically 150,000 km/s, about 1/2 of the velocity of light. Conversely, an object falling onto the surface of a neutron star would strike the star also at 150,000 km/s. To put this in perspective, if an average human were to encounter a neutron star, they would impact with roughly the energy yield of a 200 megaton explosion (a power equivalent to four times the Tsar Bomba, the biggest nuclear weapon ever detonated).[2]
2006-09-28 15:42:37 · answer #1 · answered by Answers1 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Rotation rate has nothing to do with whether a star becomes a neutron star or a black hole. The first requirement is that the star experiences what's called a 'supernova,' an immense explosion of the star. For this to happen, the star must be at least 1.5 times more massive than our sun. If its mass is between 1.5 up to almost 3 times the mass of our sun, the star will end up as a neutron star. If the original star had a mass of at least 3 times our sun's mass, it will end up as a black hole. Once a neutron star has formed, its rotation speed will be several hundred revolutions per second.
SUMMARY:
1.5 up to 3 times mass of sun = neutron star
3 times and more mass of sun = black hole
2006-09-29 01:33:37 · answer #2 · answered by Chug-a-Lug 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rotation rate has nothing to do with it - the object's mass determines if it will become a neutron star or a black hole. The division is at about 3 times the mass of our Sun.
2006-09-28 22:56:26 · answer #3 · answered by kris 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Revolution does not matter at all, it is only the mass of the object that determines if it collapses into a black hole.
2006-09-28 23:22:01 · answer #4 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi. The collapse is based on mass, not spin rate.
2006-09-28 22:34:04 · answer #5 · answered by Cirric 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i would really love to know this myself.....will keep my eye open for good answers.
2006-09-28 22:34:39 · answer #6 · answered by who be boo? 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋