Physics: Principles with Applications (7th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32162-592-7
ISBN 13: 978-0-32162-592-2

Chapter 33 - Astrophysics and Cosmology - Problems - Page 981: 10

Answer

The density of the neutron star is $5.4 \times 10^{17}~kg/m^3$ This is much larger than the density of a white dwarf (about $10^9~kg/m^3$) and similar in density to nuclear matter (about $10^{18}~kg/m^3$).

Work Step by Step

$\rho = \frac{mass}{volume}$ The mass of the neutron star is 1.5 times the mass of the sun: $m = 1.5\times (2.0\times 10^{30}~kg) = 3.0 \times 10^{30}~kg$ We can calculate the volume of the neutron star: $V = \frac{4}{3} \pi (1.1 \times 10^4~m)^3 = 5.6\times 10^{12}~m^3$ We can use the mass and the volume to find the density $\rho$: $\rho = \frac{3.0 \times 10^{30}~kg}{5.6\times 10^{12}~m^3} = 5.4 \times 10^{17}~kg/m^3$ The density of the neutron star is $5.4 \times 10^{17}~kg/m^3$ This is much larger than the density of a white dwarf (about $10^9~kg/m^3$) and similar in density to nuclear matter (about $10^{18}~kg/m^3$).
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