QUARKS - SCI & TECH
News: Particles called quarks hold
the key to the final fate of some stars
What's in the news?
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Scientists have reported that the insides of most
massive neutron stars is most likely made of an unusual state of matter called
quark matter
Quarks:
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Quarks are fundamental
particles that make up protons and neutrons, which are found in the nuclei
of atoms.
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Unlike electrons, which are also fundamental
particles, quarks are always found in
groups and cannot exist independently.
Quark Matter:
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Quark matter is a hypothetical state of matter
where quarks are not confined within protons and neutrons but exist freely.
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This state is theorized to possibly exist under
extreme conditions, such as inside neutron stars.
Neutron Stars:
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Neutron stars are the remnants of massive stars that have undergone a supernova
explosion.
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They are incredibly
dense, packing a mass greater than that of our sun into a sphere just about
25 kilometers in diameter.
Quark Matter forms in
Neutron Stars:
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Due to the extreme density and pressure inside
neutron stars, it is hypothesized that the neutrons might be compressed to the
point where they break down into a soup of free quarks, potentially forming
quark matter.
Could There be Stars
Made Entirely of Quark Matter?
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The existence of quark stars is theoretical and based on the concept
that under certain conditions, neutron stars could transform into stars
composed entirely of quark matter. This remains one of the intriguing open
questions in astrophysics.
Study of Quark Matter:
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Direct study of quark matter is challenging because
of the conditions required to create it.
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However, physicists can investigate its properties
indirectly through high-energy particle
collisions in accelerators like the Large Hadron Collider, where
quark-gluon plasma (a similar state of free quarks and gluons) can be
momentarily observed.
Importance of Study of
Quark Matter:
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Studying quark matter can help scientists understand the fundamental properties of
matter under extreme conditions, contributing to our knowledge of particle
physics and the structure of celestial objects.
Go back to basics:
Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff
Equation:
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It is used in astrophysics to describe the state of matter within neutron stars.
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It helps scientists predict the internal structure
of neutron stars, including the possible presence of quark matter.
Quark-gluon Plasma:
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Quark-gluon plasma is a state of matter believed to
have existed just after the Big Bang,
where quarks and gluons were free and not bound into protons and neutrons.
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It can be created and studied for brief moments
under high-energy conditions in particle accelerators.