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Superposed_Cat
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Neutrons are neutral (obviously). I thought only charged particles could be magnetic. So how are neutron stars magnetic? Thanks for any help.
Superposed_Cat said:Neutrons are neutral (obviously). I thought only charged particles could be magnetic. So how are neutron stars magnetic? Thanks for any help.
Sorry I know quasi neutral means something else.Vanadium 50 said:But let's go back to the fundamental misunderstanding. Where do you get this idea of "quasi-neutral" from? Did you read it in a textbook?
mfb said:Neutrons are made out of quarks (and gluons), and quarks are charged.
And all insulators react to magnetic fields. Usually via diamagnetism. The interaction is often weak as the density is low (compared to neutron star material).Hornbein said:Yes, but that's true of all insulators except empty space.
A neutron star is a highly dense celestial object that is formed when a massive star collapses in on itself during a supernova explosion. It is composed almost entirely of neutrons, which are subatomic particles that have no electrical charge.
Neutron stars are formed when a massive star runs out of nuclear fuel and can no longer support its own weight. The outer layers of the star collapse under gravity, causing the core to become extremely dense. This results in a supernova explosion, leaving behind a neutron star.
Neutron stars have intensely magnetic fields because of the conservation of angular momentum during the collapse of the star. As the star's core shrinks, its rotation increases, causing its magnetic field to intensify. This process is known as "magnetic flux conservation."
The magnetic fields of neutron stars are incredibly strong, ranging from 10^8 to 10^15 gauss. To put this into perspective, the Earth's magnetic field is only about 0.5 gauss. Neutron stars are known as the most magnetic objects in the universe.
Intense magnetic fields can have various effects on neutron stars. They can cause the star's crust to crack and release bursts of energy, known as "starquakes." They can also generate powerful beams of radiation and particles, which can be observed as pulsars when they sweep past Earth.