What is the force is responsible for crushing or collapsing star?
The force responsible for crushing or collapsing a star is gravity.
What process allows scientist to determine the elements in a star based on the light they emit
Spectroscopy, analysis of the frequencies of light emitted, tells you what elements are sending the light.
The force responsible for crushing or collapsing a star is the gravitational force. To understand this, let's break it down:
When a star forms, it begins as a cloud of gas and dust in space. Over time, the force of gravity causes this cloud to condense and collapse inward, increasing its density and temperature. As the material at the center of the cloud gets more and more compressed, the pressure and temperature rise to a point where nuclear fusion can occur. This is the process that powers the star by converting hydrogen into helium and releasing a tremendous amount of energy in the form of light and heat.
During the star's lifetime, the inward pull of gravity is balanced by the outward pressure produced by nuclear fusion at its core. However, stars are in a constant battle between gravity, which tries to collapse them, and the internal pressure from the fusion reactions, which tries to push outward.
When a star exhausts its nuclear fuel, it loses the energy source that counteracts gravity. Without the pressure from fusion, gravity takes over and starts to compress the star's core. In massive stars, this compression can become so intense that it leads to a catastrophic collapse known as a supernova. The gravitational force becomes so strong that it overwhelms any opposing forces and causes the star to violently collapse inward.
During this collapse, the core of the star can become extremely dense, forming either a neutron star or a black hole, depending on the mass of the original star. In both cases, the gravitational force continues to crush the star's core to an incredibly small volume, creating a highly compact and intense object.
So, in summary, the force responsible for crushing or collapsing a star is the gravitational force.