What condition causes the remnant core to surpass the neutron star stage and become a black hole?
Answer
If the remaining core mass exceeds the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff limit
The outcome of a massive star's death hinges on a fine mass balance. If the mass left concentrated in the core after the explosion surpasses the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff limit (which is slightly more than three solar masses), even the enormous stiffness provided by neutron degeneracy pressure proves insufficient to halt the inexorable force of gravity. When this critical mass threshold is exceeded, gravity wins the final tug-of-war, causing the core to continue collapsing past the neutron star stage until it forms a black hole, an object defined by gravity so strong that nothing, including light, can escape.
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