- #1
tonyxon22
- 75
- 5
Hi,
I was reading about free neutron beta decay the other day and it came to me the idea of neutron stars. As I understand, neutron stars are held together by gravity instead of strong force interaction (which I think is the mechanism that gives stability to neutron in common nuclei). So one would expect that neutrons forming a neutron star would decay into protons.
I read a similar thread about this. In this thread someone mentions that the electron chemical potential is what makes neutrons stable.
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/neutron-decay-at-neutron-star.665571/
Unfortunately that thread it is already closed, so I kind of reopen it here by asking:
a) Why are there electrons in a neutron star? I saw a diagram of the structure of a neutron star on Wikipedia and it shows the outer crust to be composed of ions and electrons. However, the article does not mention anything about that. How do the electrons stay in the outer crust without repulsing each other into the universe?
b) What would be, with a little more detail, this electron chemical potential mechanisms that is referred? How does it act on the neutrons?
Thanks and best regards,
I was reading about free neutron beta decay the other day and it came to me the idea of neutron stars. As I understand, neutron stars are held together by gravity instead of strong force interaction (which I think is the mechanism that gives stability to neutron in common nuclei). So one would expect that neutrons forming a neutron star would decay into protons.
I read a similar thread about this. In this thread someone mentions that the electron chemical potential is what makes neutrons stable.
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/neutron-decay-at-neutron-star.665571/
Unfortunately that thread it is already closed, so I kind of reopen it here by asking:
a) Why are there electrons in a neutron star? I saw a diagram of the structure of a neutron star on Wikipedia and it shows the outer crust to be composed of ions and electrons. However, the article does not mention anything about that. How do the electrons stay in the outer crust without repulsing each other into the universe?
b) What would be, with a little more detail, this electron chemical potential mechanisms that is referred? How does it act on the neutrons?
Thanks and best regards,