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collapsar

collapsar

9.9
A very large star that falls in on itself and becomes a black hole, making very strong bursts of energy
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : colapsar
  • A collapsar is an astronomical phenomenon.
  • collapsar model

Examples

  • After exhausting its fuel, the star collapsed into a collapsar, creating a black hole and releasing energy across the galaxy.

  • Scientists believe a collapsar can produce powerful gamma-ray bursts in distant galaxies.

  • The core of the massive star became a collapsar after it exhausted its nuclear fuel.

  • Astronomers study the accretion discs around a collapsar to understand how matter behaves near black holes.

  • Scientists study collapsars to understand black holes.

  • Scientists believe that a collapsar emits powerful gamma-ray bursts as it transforms into a black hole.

  • The death of a massive star results in a collapsar, which can produce intense bursts of gamma rays.

Surface Forms

collapsar singular
collapsars plural

Morphology

collapsar = collapse (semi-transparent) = collapse + ar

Formed from 'collapse' + the technical suffix '-ar'; the base meaning is clear but the specialized astrophysical sense is domain-specific.

Etymology

Collapsar comes from the English verb collapse, which means 'fall down', plus the ending -ar used in star names like pulsar and quasar. So a collapsar is a star that 'falls in' on itself to make a black hole, and that is why it can produce very powerful bursts of energy.