Pulsars:
A)spin very rapidly when they're young.
B)are the cause of gamma-ray bursts.
C)spin very slowly when they're young, and gradually spin faster as they age.
D)generally form from 25 solar mass stars.
E)emit radio waves in all directions.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Pulsars are formed when a massive star goes supernova and its core collapses into a rapidly spinning neutron star. This neutron star can spin hundreds of times per second, making it one of the fastest spinning objects in the universe. This rapid spinning is due to the conservation of angular momentum during the collapse. However, over time, the pulsar will gradually slow down due to the emission of energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation. Pulsars are neutron stars that spin very rapidly, often hundreds of times per second, and this rapid rotation is a result of their formation process. As the massive star that formed the pulsar collapses, its core shrinks down to a highly compressed neutron star, which conserves angular momentum from the slowly rotating core of the star. This results in a very fast spinning object, which then emits pulses of electromagnetic radiation (usually radio waves) as it rotates.