What keeps earth from collapsing in on itself? (2010)
Electron degeneracy pressure: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Electron_degeneracy_pressure" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Electron_degeneracy_pressure</a><p>Stars above 8 solar masses can turn into neutron stars or black holes because during their life they have two forces counteracting gravitational collapse: electron degeneracy pressure and thermal pressure from fusion. When the fusion stops you’re left with a massive body where the electron degeneracy pressure alone isn’t sufficient to counteract gravity. <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Chandrasekhar_limit" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Chandrasekhar_limit</a>.<p>You get a neutron star instead of a black hole when the gravitational collapse can be overcome by the strong force and neutron degeneracy pressure (the same forces that keep the nuclei of atoms from collapsing).<p>See this more general description of the fundamental forces: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Fundamental_interaction" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Fundamental_interaction</a>