Question

question 17
1 pts
when a star is oribiting a compact object, how can we tell if its a neutron star, or black hole?
x-rays can be detected around a neutron star, but no radiation is detected around black hole.
black holes produce bursts of energy whereas neutron stars do not.
stars orbiting a neutron star are considerable smaller than those orbiting a black hole.
in addition to the x-rays, neutron stars will also emit detectable bursts of energy whereas black holes do not.
neutron stars are visibly detectable whereas black holes are not.

Explanation:

Neutron stars are made up of neutrons and have a hard surface. When matter accretes onto a neutron star, it hits the surface and can produce detectable bursts of energy (like X - ray bursts) due to nuclear reactions on the surface. Black holes, on the other hand, have an event horizon. Matter that falls into a black hole crosses the event horizon and no radiation (in the form of such bursts) is emitted from the black hole itself (although there can be radiation from the accretion disk around it, but not the characteristic bursts from the compact object's surface like in neutron stars). Also, neutron stars can be detected through various means (e.g., pulsar emissions which are a type of detectable radiation), while black holes are not directly visibly detectable in the same sense as a neutron star (since light cannot escape from within the event horizon).

Answer:

In addition to the X - Rays, neutron stars will also emit detectable bursts of energy whereas black holes do not.