What primarily dictates the structure of a core when a star stops fusing?
Answer
Gravitational force
When a star exhausts its fuel and nuclear fusion ceases, the outward thermal pressure that previously counteracted gravity disappears. Consequently, gravity becomes the dominant force, compressing the remaining core material. The ultimate structure of the remnant is then defined by its mass and the quantum mechanical forces that resist total gravitational collapse, resulting in a dense physical object.
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