What exotic state of matter forms in the stellar core due to intense heat stripping electrons?
Answer
Plasma
The combination of overwhelming gravitational force compressing the stellar mass and the resulting extreme temperatures forces the material into an unusual state known as plasma. In this state, the thermal energy is so high that electrons are completely stripped away from the atomic nuclei, leaving behind a high-energy soup of bare nuclei suspended within a sea of free electrons. This material composition is crucial for facilitating the nuclear reactions that power the star.
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