A neutron star is .
A)an object that will ultimately become a black hole
B)the remains of a star that died by expelling its outer layers in a planetary nebula
C)a star made mostly of elements with high atomic mass numbers, so that they have lots of neutrons
D)the remains of a star that died in a massive star supernova (if no black hole were created)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A neutron star is the remains of a massive star that has undergone a supernova explosion. The intense gravitational collapse that occurs during the supernova creates a compact object made almost entirely of neutrons, hence the name "neutron star." While a neutron star can potentially lead to the formation of a black hole in the future, it is not guaranteed to do so. Option A is therefore incorrect. Option B refers to the formation of a planetary nebula, which occurs during the later stages of a low-mass star's life, and is not related to neutron stars. Option C refers to the concept of neutron-rich matter, which is a type of matter commonly found within neutron stars, but this is not what defines a neutron star.

A Neutron Star Is