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Loren Booda
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Is there an upper limit to the density of a planet's core?
Well, I believe Jupiter has a core of hydrogen, but apparently its state is not known.Loren Booda said:For instance, might the upper limit for the density of planet cores in general be the limiting density of solid hydrogen, or even that of neutronium?
http://www.astrophysicsspectator.com/topics/degeneracy/BrownDwarf.htmlHydrogen provides the first source of thermonuclear power to stars. The most massive stars, those over 100 times the Sun's mass, blast through this fuel in 1 million years or less. The Sun, with its dramatically lower rate of power generation, takes about 9 billion years to burn through its smaller reservoir of hydrogen. This trend of slower power generation by smaller stars continues down to the common 1/4 solar mass stars, which are expected to burn their fuel in about 100 billion years. Below 0.072 solar masses, the thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen becomes impossible. The objects immediately below this critical mass are called brown dwarfs.
More precisely, a brown dwarf is a massive ball of hydrogen, helium, and trace amounts of metals that is not massive enough to burn hydrogen, but is massive enough to burn deuterium. Brown dwarfs are expected to have masses ranging from just below 0.072 solar masses (78 times Jupiter's mass), the mass below which hydrogen fusion becomes impossible, down to 0.012 solar masses (13 time Jupiter's mass), the mass below which deuterium fusion becomes impossible. Anything smaller than 0.012 solar masses is a giant gaseous planet. From its spectrum, the brown dwarf appears to be simply an exceedingly cool star, but a brown-dwarf's inability to burn hydrogen betrays a fundamental physical difference between it and a star: unlike a star, a brown dwarf does not need thermonuclear fusion to hold itself up.
Loren Booda said:Is there an upper limit to the density of a planet's core?
The maximum density within a planet refers to the highest possible density that a planet can have. It is calculated by dividing the mass of the planet by its volume.
The maximum density within a planet is affected by several factors, including the composition and temperature of the planet's core, the amount of pressure at the planet's center, and the strength of the planet's gravitational pull.
Yes, the maximum density within a planet can change over time due to various geological processes such as tectonic activity, volcanic eruptions, and erosion. These processes can alter the composition and structure of a planet's core, affecting its density.
The maximum density within a planet can vary greatly depending on its size, composition, and other factors. Earth's average density is around 5.5 grams per cubic centimeter, but some planets, such as Mercury and Venus, have higher maximum densities due to their larger iron cores.
Understanding the maximum density within a planet can provide valuable information about its composition, structure, and formation. It can also help scientists better understand the planet's internal processes and how it has evolved over time.