A star 2.5 times the mass of the sun and collapsed to a size of 12 km rotates with a speed of 1.2 rev. per second. (Extremely compact stars of this kind are known as neutron stars. Certain stellar objects called pulsars belong to this category). Will an object placed on its equator remain stuck to its surface due to gravity? (Mass of the sun = 2 × 10³⁰ kg).

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Solution

Answer: Yes

A body gets stuck to the surface of a star if the inward gravitational force is greater than the outward centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the star.

Gravitational force, f_g

Where,

M = Mass of the star = 2.5 × 2 × 10³⁰ = 5 × 10³⁰kg

m = Mass of the body

R = Radius of the star = 12 km = 1.2 ×10⁴ m

Centrifugal force, f_c= mrω²
ω = Angular speed = 2πν

ν = Angular frequency = 1.2 rev s^–1

f_c = mR (2πν)²

= m × (1.2 ×10⁴) × 4 × (3.14)² × (1.2)² = 1.7 ×10⁵mN

Since f_g > f_c, the body will remain stuck to the surface of the star.

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