Gravitational Collapse - Model

Purpose

To model gravitational collapse.

Equipment

Mounted post with circular magnets.

Images

Description

Ring magnets are placed around the vertical rod with similar poles adjacent to each other. As more magnets are piled on, the weight of the magnets overcomes the opposing gravitational force, eventually causing "gravitational collapse."

References

Geoffrey T. Fox, Minimum Mass of a Neutron Star from the Semi-Empirical Mass Formula, AJP 41, 130-131 (1973).