History of Neutronium

	Revision 15 . . November 7, 2001 12:33 pm by Bryan Derksen [good for me. :)]
	Revision 14 . . November 7, 2001 12:21 pm by ManningBartlett [I prefer "informal" to "colloquial" how about you?]

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Changed: 1c1

Neutronium is the informal term for an extremely dense phase of matter which occurs only in the intense pressure found in the core of neutron stars. Neutronium is formed when a massive star at least 8 times as massive as the Sun exhausts its fuel and collapses in a type II supernova.

Neutronium is the informal term for an extremely dense phase of matter which occurs only in the intense pressure found in the core of neutron stars. Neutronium is formed when a massive star at least 8 times as massive as the Sun exhausts its fuel and collapses in a type II supernova. The star's core must be more massive than the [Chandrasekar limit]? (1.4 solar masses); if it is less, neutronium will not form and a white dwarf star is produced instead.

Changed: 9c9

The density of neutronium is similar to that of the nuclei of atoms, approximately 1014-15 grams per cubic centimeter. The entire core of the star is squeezed down into a sphere about 10 km in diameter; A teaspoonfull of neutronium has a mass of about 100 million tons. Neutronium is only stable under this extreme gravitational pressure, and is never found in a mass less than approximately that of the Sun; it explosively decays back into protons and electrons if the pressure is reduced.

The density of neutronium is similar to that of the nuclei of atoms, approximately 1014-1015 grams per cubic centimeter. The entire core of the star is squeezed down into a sphere about 10 km in diameter; A teaspoonfull of neutronium has a mass of about 100 million tons. Neutronium is only stable under this extreme gravitational pressure, and is never found in a mass less than approximately that of the Sun; it explosively decays back into protons and electrons if the pressure is reduced.

Changed: 11c11

The mass of any neutronium body can be no more than 1.4 times the mass of the Sun; above that the [nuclear degeneracy pressure]? is no longer enough to prevent further collapse. Neutronium may condense into strange matter at this point, or collapse all the way into a black hole.

The mass of any neutronium body can be no more than 2-3 times the mass of the Sun; above that the [nuclear degeneracy pressure]? is no longer enough to prevent further collapse. Neutronium may condense into quark matter (also known as strange matter) at this point, or collapse all the way into a black hole.