Help with Black Holes: Determining Energy at Distance r

In summary, the conversation discusses a question about black holes and energy, specifically considering a mass spiraling into a black hole. The question asks to determine the energy of the object when orbiting the black hole at a certain distance classically. The speaker is currently stuck and unsure of which type of energy to consider, but notes that the total energy would be 0 due to the conservation of energy.
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I have a question about black holes and energy but have no idea what to do. if someone could just point me in the right direction.

the question asks to consider a mass spiraling into a black hole, starting with energy E=0 at infinity. I have to determine E of the object when orbiting the black hole at distance r classically. I'm just stuck right now, not sure what is wrong.
 
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  • #2
The kinetic energy E, or the total energy? The total energy is trivial: because of the conservation of energy, total energy is 0, just as it was when it was at infinity.
 

1. What is the equation for determining energy at a distance r from a black hole?

The equation for determining energy at a distance r from a black hole is E = -GMm/r, where E is the energy, G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the black hole, m is the mass of the object, and r is the distance from the center of the black hole.

2. How do black holes affect the energy of objects at different distances?

Black holes have a strong gravitational pull, which increases as objects get closer to the black hole. This results in a decrease in the energy of objects as they move closer to the black hole.

3. Can the energy of an object be determined at any distance from a black hole?

Yes, the energy of an object can be determined at any distance from a black hole using the equation E = -GMm/r. However, the energy may become infinite as the object approaches the event horizon, the point of no return for a black hole.

4. How does the mass of a black hole affect the energy of objects at a distance r?

The mass of a black hole has a direct effect on the energy of objects at a distance r. A more massive black hole will have a stronger gravitational pull, resulting in a decrease in the energy of objects at a given distance from the black hole.

5. Is there a limit to how close an object can get to a black hole without losing all of its energy?

There is no specific limit to how close an object can get to a black hole without losing all of its energy. However, as an object approaches the event horizon, the energy required to escape the gravitational pull becomes infinitely large, making it nearly impossible for the object to escape.

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