Quarks, Hadrons, Neutron Stars

Quarks are elementary particles that combine to form hadrons like protons and neutrons, possessing fractional electric charges and exhibiting strong force interactions within the atomic nucleus.

Hadrons, classified as either baryons (composed of three quarks) or mesons (composed of a quark-antiquark pair), play a crucial role in the structure of atomic nuclei.

Neutron stars, the remnants of massive stellar explosions, are incredibly dense celestial objects composed mostly of neutrons, with densities comparable to atomic nuclei and strong gravitational fields.

These exotic stellar remnants result from supernova explosions, where the core collapses under immense gravity, causing protons and electrons to combine into neutrons, resulting in a compact, incredibly dense object.

Neutron stars exhibit fascinating properties, such as rapid rotation, intense magnetic fields, and the emission of beams of radiation from their magnetic poles, observed as pulsars, offering valuable insights into fundamental physics.