How can a neutron change its quantum state?

Asked Aug 15 '16 at 20:48

Active Aug 15 '16 at 20:48

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I was doing so research on neutron stars and I bumped into this stock exchange page. Does a neutron star burn?

Quote from an awnser:

The Pauli exclusion principle causes the neutrons to resist further compression. That is, the neutrons, being identical fermions, can't all be put in the same state. So to get them closer and closer together you have to go into higher and higher energy states.

This confused me, how can a neutron be in an energy state. Does this relate to nuclear strong force in any way?

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:39

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asked Aug 15 '16 at 20:48

EasyPeasy

"how can a neutron be in an energy state" - see, e.g., Fermi gas – Alfred Centauri Aug 15 '16 at 21:11
It's no different from electrons in an atom. The more electrons an atom has, the more different energy states they have to occupy. – CuriousOne Aug 15 '16 at 21:20
@CuriousOne I understand that but how can a neutrons quantum state change, an electron can be for example hit with a laser to excite it. How do you "excite" a neutron? – EasyPeasy Aug 16 '16 at 16:29

How can a neutron change its quantum state?

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