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Grab a teaspoon of neutron star core. Teleport it into Earth's atmosphere. What would happen? (kbin.social)

submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by Damaskox@kbin.social to c/ELI5@kbin.social

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I believe the density chances quickly to match Earth's pressure.

But what else? Will it release energy enough to blow Earth up? Will its mass create some kind of an apocalyptical event?

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[–] sun_is_ra@sh.itjust.works 1 points 10 months ago (2 children)

it will not be an explosion per se but more of an intense neutron radiation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_radiation

It is a health hazard because when it hits atoms it could potentially make it radio active. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_radiation

[–] WHYAREWEALLCAPS@kbin.social 1 points 10 months ago

Close. Everyone forgets that a neutron star is held together by gravity. Take a bit away and that bit will fall apart. Rapidly. Very, very, very rapidly. Like significant fraction of c rapidly. Imagine Mt. Everest suddenly flying apart at a significant fraction of c.

[–] Damaskox@kbin.social 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

So this event would basically radiate life to death?

[–] PositiveNoise@kbin.social 1 points 10 months ago (2 children)

You mean like....ALL life on Earth? From a single teaspoon full? I doubt it. Would it kill the drunk camper who picks it up and decides to use it to keep his sleeping bag warm? Maybe.

[–] snooggums@kbin.social 6 points 10 months ago

That teaspoon of neutron star material weighs a few million tons and should instantly expand without the gravitational pressure of the star.

[–] CJOtheReal@ani.social 0 points 10 months ago (1 children)

We aren't talking about the outer parts we talk about a core piece, wich is almost as dense as a black hole because its only little away from becoming one.

[–] Damaskox@kbin.social 1 points 10 months ago

"A neutron star is the collapsed core of a massive supergiant star, which had a total mass of between 10 and 25 solar masses..." as mentioned in Wikipedia

So the weight varies, and not every "specimen" would be that close to a black hole.