Blackhole spaghettification and maximum body tension

In summary, Celeste åפֿאל ۻ. .54 was the winner of the Schwarzschild Slalom in 2010. She is 1.5 meters tall, and her mass is estimated to be 500,000 Newtons. She would have to approach the singularity very closely (in AU and km) to win the event, but even if she were torn apart by the tidal force, she would still be the winner.
  • #1
Snazzy
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Homework Statement


In the Schwarzschild Slalom, brave athletes dive from a platform orbiting at a distance of 1 AU from the singularity at the centre of a black hole with a mass of 10 MSun. The competitor who can get closest to the singularity, and survive, wins the event. (The rules state the athlete must point the length of her body toward the black hole at closest approach.) The winner in 20010 was (I mean, will be) Celeste åפֿאל ۻ. .54, whose height is 1.5 metres.

(a) If the force holding together the flesh, muscle and bones in the human body is about 500,000 Newtons†, how closely (in AU and km) could Celeste åפֿאל ۻ. .54 approach the singularity without being ripped apart by the tidal force? (In other words, at what distance from the black hole would the difference in gravity between the top of her head and the bottom of her feet just equal the force holding together her body?

Homework Equations


F = GmM/R2
RSch = 2GM/c2

The Attempt at a Solution


I tried setting the difference between the two gravitational forces at her head and feet equal to the maximum force that holds together the human body:

500 000 N = GmM/R2 - GmM/(R + 1.5)2

But the problem is that I don't know little m and I'm stuck about how to move forward.
 
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  • #2
Little m in this case would be the mass of the athlete. If this is not given, you could make a reasonable assumption about what somebody weighs (or technically, how massive they are).
 
  • #3
I can't make an assumption on the mass. I emailed my prof:

"Think of small masses at Celeste's feet and head and what would be the forces on them.

The difference in the forces is the same even if the points are not
attached. You're calculating a difference, so the exact masses you
use for m will not make a big difference to the answer. (No pun
intended.)"
 

1. What is blackhole spaghettification?

Blackhole spaghettification is the process by which an object, such as a star or planet, is stretched and pulled apart into long, thin strands as it approaches and enters the event horizon of a black hole.

2. How does blackhole spaghettification occur?

Blackhole spaghettification occurs due to intense gravitational forces near the event horizon of a black hole. These forces, known as tidal forces, are much stronger near a black hole than they are on Earth, causing extreme stretching and compression of objects.

3. What is maximum body tension?

Maximum body tension is the point at which an object will be torn apart due to the extreme stretching and compression caused by blackhole spaghettification. This tension is caused by the unequal forces acting on different parts of the object.

4. Can anything survive the process of blackhole spaghettification?

No, it is highly unlikely that anything can survive the process of blackhole spaghettification. The intense tidal forces would be too strong for any known material to withstand, causing the object to be torn apart.

5. Is blackhole spaghettification a real phenomenon?

Yes, blackhole spaghettification is a well-accepted theory in astrophysics and has been observed through various astronomical observations. However, it has not yet been directly observed due to the extreme conditions required to produce it.

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