: Ok, there is no hidden answer about the formation of a black hole. "Degeneracy" is the theory that one point in space cannot occupy the same space as another. I cannot stand in your spot if you are standing there. An electron cloud cannot occupy the same space as another cloud. This is electron degeneracy, commonly found in white dwarfs (that's why they are so small). Some things are massive enough to push electrons and protons together-making neutrons. The neutrons cannot occupy the same space as each other- neutron degeneracy. That is why neutron stars are even smaller than white dwarfs. When the mass is too great for the neutron degeneracy, nothing else (supposedly) stop the star from collapsing to a single point, so massinve that light cannot escape. As for your electromagnetic energy released for neutron decay, it is not possible. Neutron decay has a product of proton, electron, and neutrino. But earlier these things were pressed together by the extreme mass of a star. So decay cannot occur as you have stated, and the mass would be so high anyway, electromagnetic energy could not escape. Also, the cone you refer to is a what happens in space time, and the cone is finite in size in two dimensions, but infinite in the third. :)Again, if you have more questions, feel free to use my e-mail.