- #1
electerr
- 28
- 0
Hi,
I am a bit confused with how a neutron star or black hole has such a high force of gravity.
As I understand the process of star death of a massive star (I'll use a neutron star for example),
1) the star fuses heavier and heavier elements
2) the core begins to contract
3) this eventually causes a supernova in which the outer envelopes are blown off (star looses mass)
4) the remaining contracted and dense core is supported from further collapse by neutron degenerate pressure
5) this is what is known as a neutron star
Yes, I know this is the simplified version but the thing I don't get is, if the original star looses mass in the supernova explosion (and in theory even if it didn't) why then does the remaining core (neutron star) have a higher gravitational force than the original star did? I thought that gravitational force only was dependant on mass not density. Two objects with the same mass curve spacetime equal amounts regardless of density or...? I don't understand that when a certain mass (in this case a star core) is shrunk into a object with higher density (a neutron star) but still has the same mass (or in this case even less mass)that it's gravitational field becomes stronger just because it is more dense.
Obviously, I have misunderstood something about gravity or star death and if someone could help explain it would be great!
Thanks a lot!
I am a bit confused with how a neutron star or black hole has such a high force of gravity.
As I understand the process of star death of a massive star (I'll use a neutron star for example),
1) the star fuses heavier and heavier elements
2) the core begins to contract
3) this eventually causes a supernova in which the outer envelopes are blown off (star looses mass)
4) the remaining contracted and dense core is supported from further collapse by neutron degenerate pressure
5) this is what is known as a neutron star
Yes, I know this is the simplified version but the thing I don't get is, if the original star looses mass in the supernova explosion (and in theory even if it didn't) why then does the remaining core (neutron star) have a higher gravitational force than the original star did? I thought that gravitational force only was dependant on mass not density. Two objects with the same mass curve spacetime equal amounts regardless of density or...? I don't understand that when a certain mass (in this case a star core) is shrunk into a object with higher density (a neutron star) but still has the same mass (or in this case even less mass)that it's gravitational field becomes stronger just because it is more dense.
Obviously, I have misunderstood something about gravity or star death and if someone could help explain it would be great!
Thanks a lot!