How can you find out the amount of hawking radiation a black hole exhibits?

In summary, the amount of Hawking radiation a black hole exhibits can be calculated using the Stefan-Boltzmann law and the black hole temperature formula. The power radiated at infinity can be found by substituting the appropriate values into the formula, and the lifetime of the black hole can be calculated by dividing its mass by the power radiated at infinity. However, simplified calculations may vary significantly from more accurate ones due to simplifying assumptions.
  • #1
rubecuber
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How can you find out the amount of hawking radiation a black hole exhibits?
Rube cuber,
Merry Christmas
 
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  • #2
I'm not sure what you want. Numbers?

In terms of general formulae:

A black of mass [itex]M[/itex] has temperature

[tex]T = \frac{\hbar c^3}{8 \pi k G M},[/tex]

where [itex]k[/itex] is Boltzmann's constant.

The Stefan-Boltzmann law for radiation by black bodies is

[tex]P = \sigma A T^4,[/tex]

where [itex]\sigma[/itex] is Stefan's constant [itex]A[/itex] is the radiating surface area.

Putting these together gives that a black hole radiates power (mass-energy per unit time) according to

[tex]P = \frac{dE}{dt} = \sigma A \left( \frac{\hbar c^3}{8 \pi k G M} \right)^4.[/itex]

Detail and extensions of this calculation are in https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=1549655#post1549655".
 
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  • #3
Would it correct to say that A in this equation is the area of the event horizon, this area being the same for a local observer and for an observer at infinity?

If so, we should be able to write

[tex]A = 4 \pi r_s^2 = 4 \pi \left( \frac{2 G M}{c^2}\right)^2 [/tex]

eliminating it from the equation. And the radiated power we compute in this manner would be that measured by an observer "at infinity".
 
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  • #4
Combining the following formulae:

[tex]P = \sigma A T^4,[/tex]

[tex]\sigma = \frac {2 {\pi }^{5}{k}^{4}}{15 {h}^{3}{c}^{2}}[/tex]

[tex]T = \frac {h{c}^{3}}{16 {\pi }^{2}\,kG\,M}[/tex]

[tex]A = 4 \pi r_s^2[/tex]

[tex]r_s = \frac{2GM}{c^2}[/tex]

I get the following expression for P, the power radiated at infinity:

[tex]\frac {h{c}^{6}}{30720 \, {\pi }^{2}{G}^{2}{M}^{2}}[/tex]

where:
h is Planck's constant
c is the speed of light
G is the gravitational constant
[itex]\hbar = h / 2 \pi[/itex]
k is Boltzman's constant.

Substituting for hbar in terms of h makes the above answer the same as this current wikipedia article, and also http://library.thinkquest.org/C007571/english/advance/core8.htm

The lifetime of the black hole should be Mc^2 / P, where M is the mass of the black hole (Mc^2 is the "energy at infinity" of the black hole, and P is the "power radiated at infinity", so the ratio should be the lifetime of the black hole).

This gives an expression for the lifetime of the black hole of:

[tex]\frac {30720 \,{\pi }^{2}{G}^{2}}{{c}^{4}h} M^3= 2.52\,10^{-16} \frac{s}{kg^3} \,M^3[/tex]

I get a lifetime of a solar mass black hole of 6.3e67 years, however some of the web sources seem to get a different figure in spite of using the same formula(?).
 
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  • #5
pervect said:
I get a lifetime of a solar mass black hole of 6.3e67 years, however some of the web sources seem to get a different figure in spite of using the same formula(?).

Doing an accurate calculation is a fairly involved business, so books and webpages that make simplifying assumptions get results that range over several orders of magnitude.

I am going to put the details of the simplified calculation in a new thread.
 

1. How does hawking radiation affect the lifespan of a black hole?

Hawking radiation is a process in which black holes emit particles due to quantum effects near the event horizon. This radiation causes the black hole to lose mass, and as a result, it will eventually evaporate. The larger the black hole, the longer it will take to evaporate due to the amount of radiation it emits. Therefore, hawking radiation can impact the lifespan of a black hole by causing it to shrink and eventually disappear.

2. Can hawking radiation be observed or measured?

Hawking radiation is incredibly faint and difficult to detect, making it challenging to observe directly. However, it is possible to indirectly measure hawking radiation by observing the effects it has on the surrounding environment. For example, the radiation emitted by a black hole can cause disturbances in nearby matter, which can be detected by telescopes and other instruments.

3. How does the size and mass of a black hole affect its hawking radiation?

The size and mass of a black hole directly impact the amount of hawking radiation it emits. According to the Hawking radiation formula, the smaller the black hole, the greater the radiation it emits. This is because smaller black holes have a higher surface area to volume ratio, which allows for more particles to be emitted near the event horizon. Additionally, more massive black holes emit less radiation due to their stronger gravitational pull, which can trap particles before they can escape.

4. Can hawking radiation be used to power spacecraft or other technologies?

Although hawking radiation is a fascinating phenomenon, it is not a viable source of energy. The amount of radiation emitted by a black hole is incredibly minuscule, making it impractical to harness for powering spacecraft or other technologies. Additionally, the radiation is emitted in all directions, making it difficult to capture and use efficiently.

5. Is hawking radiation responsible for the black hole information paradox?

The black hole information paradox is a theoretical problem in physics that arises when considering the principles of quantum mechanics and general relativity. It questions what happens to the information of matter that falls into a black hole, as it is believed that this information cannot be destroyed. While hawking radiation does play a role in this paradox, it is still a topic of debate and research among scientists, and a definitive answer has not been reached yet.

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