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Chapter 40: Problem 3

In neutron stars, which are roughly \(90 \%\) neutrons and supported almost entirely by nuclear forces, which of the following binding-energy terms becomes relatively dominant compared to ordinary nuclei? a) the Coulomb term b) the asymmetry term c) the pairing term d) all of the above e) none of the above

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: b) the asymmetry term, c) the pairing term

Step by step solution

01

Consider the Coulomb term

The Coulomb term refers to the electrostatic repulsion between protons in the nucleus. Since neutron stars are composed of approximately \(90 \%\) neutrons and very few protons, it's clear that the Coulomb term would be much less dominant in neutron stars than in ordinary nuclei. So, this term is not the correct answer.
02

Consider the asymmetry term

The asymmetry term accounts for the imbalance between the number of protons and neutrons in a nucleus. In ordinary nuclei, this term is usually significant when there is a considerable difference between the number of protons and neutrons. In neutron stars, the majority of the particles are neutrons (\(90 \%\)), and there is a significant imbalance between the number of protons and neutrons. Therefore, the asymmetry term will be more dominant in neutron stars than in ordinary nuclei.
03

Consider the pairing term

The pairing term accounts for the tendency of protons and neutrons to form pairs with opposite spins. In ordinary nuclei, this term tends to be significant for even numbers of both protons and neutrons. In neutron stars, however, due to the overwhelming number of neutrons, it's possible that a majority of these neutrons would participate in pairings, which would make the pairing term more dominant in neutron stars than in ordinary nuclei.
04

Answer

Based on our analysis, we can conclude that the asymmetry term (b) and the pairing term (c) become more dominant in neutron stars compared to ordinary nuclei. The Coulomb term (a) is not the right answer, as it becomes less dominant in neutron stars. So, the correct answer is: b) the asymmetry term c) the pairing term

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