What condition causes a core remnant to collapse into a black hole?
Answer
Exceeds roughly three solar masses
When the remnant core left behind after a massive star explodes exceeds a certain threshold, generally estimated to be around three times the mass of the Sun, the fundamental forces of nature are insufficient to resist the crushing effect of gravity. At this point, neutron degeneracy pressure, which stabilizes neutron stars, is overwhelmed. Gravity triumphs completely, causing the object to collapse indefinitely until it forms a singularity—a point of infinite density encompassed by an event horizon, defining a black hole from which no matter or radiation can escape.
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