Black holes and theories of gravity

In summary, General Relativity predicts that a Black hole can form in which anything (including light) is trapped inside the horizon of the Black hole and can never escape, because nothing can exceed light speed. However, still something escapes the Black hole, which is the presence of the gravitational field outside of the horizon of the Black hole. Since in General Relativity also gravity itself can not be faster then light speed, this is - in a sense - some kind of peculiarity.
  • #1
robheus
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In the perception of General Relativity a Black hole can form in which anything (including light) is trapped inside the horizon of the Black hole and can never escape, because nothing can exceed light speed.

However, still something escapes the Black hole, which is the presence of the gravitational field outside of the horizon of the Black hole. Since in General Relativity also gravity itself can not be faster then light speed, this is - in a sense - some kind of peculiarity.
One could (in theory) propose that a Black hole, after it has formed, would withdraw it's presence of the gravitational field outside the horizon altogether under the assumption that also the gravity field itself can not escape from the Black hole, and with which the Black hole would effectively disappear for outside observers, and only objects that cross the horizon (without being drawn in by the Black hole as there would be no extreme force of gravity outside the horizon), would experience the presence of the Black hole and disappear inside the horizon. A black hole would then just be a 'gap in space' without making it's presence observable for outside observers.

Appearently, however, this is not the case, since Black holes manifest themselves by the strong gravity fields that exists outside the horizon of the Black hole, which makes a Black hole observable for observers outside the horizon. Else, we would probably not know that a Black hole exists.

What does this mean in terms of the theory of Gravity? In so far particle physics for example predicts the existence of 'gravitons' (particles that exert the force of gravity, similar to how photons exert the electro-magnetic force), those particles can't themselves 'sense' the force of gravity, although a 'graviton' would not exceed light speed.
 
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  • #2
robheus said:
However, still something escapes the Black hole, which is the presence of the gravitational field outside of the horizon of the Black hole. Since in General Relativity also gravity itself can not be faster then light speed, this is - in a sense - some kind of peculiarity.

A very good observation and I think this is a very strong argument against the idea of gravity being caused by any kind of wave.

In my opinion, it reinforces the concept of gravity being caused by matter's surroundings rather than matter somehow reaching out and pulling you down, more like a pushing down by space itself.
 
  • #3
http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/BlackHoles/black_gravity.html"
 
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  • #4
Thx.
 

1. What is a black hole?

A black hole is a region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that it prevents anything, including light, from escaping its grasp. It is created when a massive star collapses in on itself, leaving behind an incredibly dense and compact object with a strong gravitational pull.

2. How do black holes affect time and space?

Black holes have a massive gravitational pull that warps the fabric of space-time. This means that time and space near a black hole are distorted, causing objects to move in unusual ways and time to pass differently.

3. What is the theory of general relativity?

The theory of general relativity, proposed by Albert Einstein, is a theory of gravity that explains how massive objects interact with each other in space-time. It states that gravity is not a force between masses, but rather a curvature of space and time caused by the presence of massive objects.

4. Can anything escape from a black hole?

According to our current understanding of physics, nothing can escape from a black hole once it has crossed the event horizon, which is the point of no return. However, some theories suggest that small particles, such as Hawking radiation, may be able to escape from a black hole.

5. How do scientists study black holes?

Scientists use a variety of methods to study black holes, including observing their effects on surrounding matter, measuring the gravitational waves they produce, and using simulations and mathematical equations to understand their behavior. They also study the effects of black holes on the surrounding space and use this information to make predictions and test theories.

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