3 ms·
> ordinary atomic nuclei crushed into a solid lattice with a sea of electrons flowing through the gaps That is not purely neutrons, indeed, but it's different
by pif 1y ago
> ordinary atomic nuclei crushed into a solid lattice with a sea of electrons flowing through the gaps
That is not purely neutrons, indeed, but it's different from an ordinary lattice made of ionized atoms, each missing a handful of electrons at most.
- chasil 1y agoReading a little further into the wiki, the depth of atomic matter is controlled by the neutron drip line. Since neutron stars have a maximum mass, this is likely a feature that they all exhibit. At the beginning of the neutron drip, the pressure in the star from neutrons, electrons, and the total pressure is roughly equal. As the density of the neutron star increases, the nuclei break down, and the neutron pressure of the star becomes dominant. When the density reaches a point where nuclei touch and subsequently merge, they form a fluid of neutrons with a sprinkle of electrons and protons. This transition marks the neutron drip, where the dominant pressure in the neutron star shifts from degenerate electrons to neutrons.