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Q&A: Supernova Remnants and Neutron Stars
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Q:
What are five differences between white dwarfs and neutron
stars?
A:
The major difference is due to the way in which they are formed.
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White dwarfs are formed from the collapse of low mass
stars, less than about 10 time the mass of the Sun, in
which the star loses most of its mass in a wind, leaving
behind a core that is less than 1.44 solar mass, whereas
neutron stars are formed in the catastrophic collapse of
the core of a massive star.
Other differences follow:
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A white dwarf is supported by electron degeneracy
pressure, a neutron star by neutron degeneracy pressure
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A white dwarf has a larger radius --about 600 times
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A neutron star has a stronger gravitational field -about
400,000 times
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Neutron stars have higher temperatures at birth, spin
faster, and have stronger magnetic fields, among other
things.
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