Degeneracy pressure stops the crush of gravity in all the following except

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Degeneracy pressure is only effective when the electrons or neutrons are packed tightly enough that they cannot fall any further due to their exclusion principle, which prevents them from occupying the same quantum state. In a very massive main-sequence star, the core becomes so dense that electrons combine with protons, forming neutrons and neutrinos. This removes the source of electron degeneracy pressure, and the core can collapse further until the neutrons themselves become degenerate and create neutron degeneracy pressure which counters the gravitational force. Therefore, degeneracy pressure does not stop the crush of gravity in a very massive main-sequence star.

Degeneracy Pressure Stops the Crush of Gravity in All the Following