Question about events inside black holes

In summary, the conversation discusses a question about the ability to see future events when inside the event horizon of a black hole. The article mentioned states that it is possible, but the concept is confusing and not discussed in other resources. The explanation given is that while it may appear as though events from the future can be seen, they are actually just happening at a greater value of the Schwarzschild 't' coordinate, which measures distance inside the event horizon. In relativity, past and future are defined by light cones, not coordinate time.
  • #1
lledopti
1
0
Hello, I am currently an undergraduate student and have an interest in black holes, but my lack of mathematical background is giving me some difficulty understanding some of the ideas. I found an article on the Cornell website that has been bothering me for awhile. The article states that it is possible to see future events when you are inside the event horizon of a black hole. Here is a link:

http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=652

I have looked through books dealing with black holes, but have not found any that discuss this ability to see events from the future, so I am having a hard time understanding what she is talking about. Could someone here please explain to me what the author is describing when she says you can receive light signals from the future when inside the event horizon?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
This seems to me to be confusingly worded. It is true that you can 'see' events that happen at a value of the Schwarzschild 't' coordinate that is greater than your own Schwarzschild 't' coordinate, but the point is that inside the event horizon, this coordinate measures distance, not time.

I would say that such events are not in your future, they just have a greater value of the 't' coordinate.
 
  • #3
Also, even if the event had a greater Schwarzschild t-coordinate than the event of your seeing light from it, the event still lies in the past light cone of the event of your seeing it, and in relativity light cones, not coordinate time, are the physical way that "past" and "future" are defined.
 

1. What happens to matter inside a black hole?

According to current scientific understanding, matter inside a black hole is compressed to an infinitely small point called a singularity. It is believed that the laws of physics as we know them break down at the singularity, making it impossible to know exactly what happens to matter inside.

2. Can anything escape a black hole?

The intense gravitational pull of a black hole is so strong that even light cannot escape it, which is why black holes are invisible. However, some particles may be able to escape through a process called Hawking radiation, but this is still a subject of ongoing research.

3. What is the event horizon of a black hole?

The event horizon is the boundary surrounding a black hole where the escape velocity is equal to the speed of light. This means that anything that crosses the event horizon, including light, will be pulled into the black hole and cannot escape.

4. Can black holes merge with each other?

Yes, black holes can merge with each other through a process called gravitational wave emission. When two black holes come close enough, they will emit gravitational waves that cause them to spiral towards each other, eventually merging into a larger black hole.

5. Do black holes have an impact on time?

Yes, the intense gravitational pull of a black hole can significantly slow down time close to the event horizon. This phenomenon is known as gravitational time dilation and has been observed through experiments and observations of objects near black holes.

Similar threads

  • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
35
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
57
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
2
Views
893
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
11
Views
684
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
6
Views
1K
Replies
35
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
8
Views
920
  • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
67
Views
3K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
4
Views
361
Back
Top