What speed do the infalling outer layers of a massive star reach during the core's rapid implosion phase?
Answer
A quarter of the speed of light.
The gravitational collapse that follows the loss of thermal pressure from the iron core is exceptionally swift and violent. The text specifies that this implosion, which compresses the core material to densities exceeding nuclear levels, occurs inward at speeds reaching an impressive quarter of the speed of light. This rapid compression is crucial because it determines how quickly the core becomes rigid enough to resist further compression momentarily, setting the stage for the subsequent outward shockwave generation.
Related Questions
What is the fundamental energetic characteristic of fusing Iron within the core of a supermassive star?What speed do the infalling outer layers of a massive star reach during the core's rapid implosion phase?Where are elements heavier than iron synthesized during the explosion of a supermassive star?What specific pressure mechanism is responsible for halting the gravitational collapse to form a Neutron Star?What is the critical remnant core mass, related to the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff limit, that determines if a black hole forms instead of a Neutron Star?In terms of energy output, how does the energy released during a core-collapse supernova compare to the Sun's expected total lifetime production?What intense energetic phenomenon is often generated and observed as narrow beams accompanying a Hypernova explosion?What differentiates the outcome of a Direct Collapse scenario from a standard Supernova event regarding the visible explosion?For a star that is twenty times the mass of the Sun, how does the duration of its entire active life cycle compare to the lifespan of our Sun?What element sits at the center of the massive star's internal, onion-like fusion structure just before the core loses its thermal pressure support?