Author Question: What are the physical properties neutron stars, and how does theory predict these properties? ... (Read 103 times)

anshika · **on:** Jul 27, 2018

What are the physical properties neutron stars, and how does theory predict these properties?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Aristotle believed that objects falling to the ground fall at a constant rate of speed.

a. True
b. False
Indicate whether the statement is true or false

CAPTAINAMERICA · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 27, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Neutron stars have hot surfaces, spin rapidly, and have strong magnetic fields. Neutron stars also radiate most of their energy in the form of X-rays and gamma rays, but do not have a high luminosity.

Theory states that as gas particles fall inward, they transfer their gravitational energy to thermal energy resulting in a hot surface. The sudden collapse of the core of a massive star to the size of a neutron star should also heat the surface to about a trillion degrees.

The principle of conservation of angular momentum predicts that neutron stars will spin rapidly. All stars rotate because they form from swirling clouds of interstellar matter. As the star collapses, it must rotate faster to conserve angular momentum.

It is predicted that a neutron star should have a powerful magnetic field. The gas of a star is ionized, so the magnetic field of the star cannot move easily relative to the gas. When the star collapses, the magnetic field is squeezed into a smaller volume. This increases the strength of the magnetic field by as much as a billion times.

The surface of a neutron star is a very hot blackbody, so it is predicted that the surface will radiate in high-energy wavelength bands X-ray and gamma ray.

Lastly, the surface is small, so the total luminosity is not great.

Answer to Question 2

True