Neutron stars are primarily held together by gravity, with the nuclear strong force playing a critical role in preventing collapse into black holes. The discussion highlights the concept of degeneracy pressure, specifically electron and neutron degeneracy pressure, which counteracts gravitational collapse at different mass thresholds. As mass increases, electron degeneracy pressure in white dwarfs is overwhelmed, leading to neutron stars, where neutron degeneracy pressure is similarly challenged by gravity, potentially resulting in black hole formation. The strong force operates at a short range, approximately 10^-15 meters, and does not repel neutrons from each other, contrary to some interpretations.
PREREQUISITESAstronomers, astrophysicists, and students of physics interested in stellar evolution, black hole formation, and the fundamental forces governing matter at extreme densities.
It is called degeneracy pressure. Electron degeneracy pressure keeps a White Dwarf from collapsing further. Add more mass, and this pressure is "overwhelmed" by gravity and it could collapse to a Neutron star. Then, we have neutron degeneracy pressure. Add more mass and we can collapse to a black hole.Jonny_trigonometry said:I just don't see why it would prevent gravity from pulling everything together too much. If it acted in a way as to repel each neutron from the others, then it would prevent gravity from pulling them closer than 10^-15 meters apart, so that if matter was constantly being put into the system, the whole star would have a maximum density for a while until the strong force couldn't repel things enough to overcome gravity and the core would collapse. But this is not how it works as far as i understand.