Understanding the Upper Mass Limit of Neutron Stars: A Quick Question

In summary, a black hole is a region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, including light, can escape from it. They can vary in size depending on their mass, with stellar black holes having a mass up to 20 times that of our sun and supermassive black holes having a mass of millions or billions of times that of our sun. Black holes cannot be directly detected, but their presence can be inferred by observing the effects of their gravity on nearby objects. Once something crosses the event horizon, it cannot escape a black hole, but some theories suggest that information may be able to escape through Hawking radiation. While black holes are not dangerous to us on Earth, their strong gravitational pull can be dangerous if we
  • #1
kokain
51
0
I am trying to figure something out and forgot the upper mas of a nuetron star. I remember (I think) that the upper mass of a white dwarf is 1.4suns but I can't remember the other.
 
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  • #2
The book I referenced for this is 9 years old now, but it theorizes 2 solar masses for a neutron star.
 
  • #3
Thank you, that sounds right.
 

1. What is a black hole?

A black hole is a region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, including light, can escape from it. It is created when a massive star dies and collapses in on itself.

2. How big are black holes?

The size of a black hole depends on its mass. The more mass it has, the larger it will be. Stellar black holes can have a mass of up to 20 times that of our sun, while supermassive black holes can have a mass of millions or even billions of times the mass of our sun.

3. How are black holes detected?

Black holes cannot be directly detected because they do not emit light. However, scientists can detect their presence by observing the effects of their strong gravitational pull on nearby objects, such as stars and gas.

4. Can anything escape a black hole?

Once something crosses the event horizon, the point of no return, it cannot escape a black hole. This includes light and even matter. However, some theories suggest that information may be able to escape through a process called Hawking radiation.

5. Are black holes dangerous?

Black holes are not dangerous to us on Earth because they are so far away. However, getting too close to a black hole can be dangerous due to its strong gravitational pull. It can also affect the orbits of nearby stars and objects in its vicinity.

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