16. Angular Momentum
Conservation of Angular Momentum
16. Angular Momentum Conservation of Angular Momentum
7PRACTICE PROBLEM
Neutron stars are believed to form when a massive star depletes its fuel and collapses. The collapse crushes together all protons and electrons into neutrons. The density of a neutron star is about 1014 times greater than the density of the sun. Imagine that the sun (with a radius of 6.96 × 105 km) collapses into a neutron star of radius 15 km. Using the sun's average rotational speed of one rotation every 27 days, what would be the rotational speed of the neutron star formed? Model the sun and the neutron star formed as uniform solid spheres.
Neutron stars are believed to form when a massive star depletes its fuel and collapses. The collapse crushes together all protons and electrons into neutrons. The density of a neutron star is about 1014 times greater than the density of the sun. Imagine that the sun (with a radius of 6.96 × 105 km) collapses into a neutron star of radius 15 km. Using the sun's average rotational speed of one rotation every 27 days, what would be the rotational speed of the neutron star formed? Model the sun and the neutron star formed as uniform solid spheres.