Star to black hole same mass/gravity?

In summary, when a star collapses to form a black hole, a great deal of energy is released, often in the form of a supernova and gamma ray bursts. This results in the black hole having a lower mass than the original star, but with a much stronger gravitational well due to its concentrated mass. When matter flows into the black hole, it also releases energy, so not all of its mass is added to the black hole's. The exact amount of net mass and gravitational force depends on the initial mass involved, but it is estimated to be around 99% of the original.
  • #1
narrator
228
12
Basic question, I know... but..

When a star collapses and becomes a black hole, is it the same mass and does it have the same gravitational force of the original star? I heard something about it throwing off some of that mass in the process. And perhaps some aspect at the quantum level affects the gravity or mass.

As an extension of the question, once a BH consumes other masses, does the net mass equal the sum of the individual masses and is the gravitational force the sum of the gravitational forces of the original objects?
 
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  • #2
I don't think there are any BHs that form by simple gravitational collapse (but I could be totally wrong about that) but if they DID then yes, they would have the same mass as a BH as they had as a star.

Any conglomeration of matter has a gravitational effect. Aside from places inside the radius of the conglomeration, the gravitational effect is indifferent to the radius of the conglomeration.
 
  • #3
It is believed possible some stellar mass black holes can form without a core collapse supernova event.
 
  • #4
Remember that E=mc^2

When a star collapses to form a black hole a great deal of energy is released, often in the form of a supernova and probably gamma ray bursts as well. Therefore the resulting black hole will have a lower mass than the original collapsar.

However, its mass will be concentrated in a tiny volume and so its gravitational well will have much steeper sides than that of the original star.

Similarly, when matter associated with spacetime that flows into a black hole gets strongly accelerated and ripped apart it also emits large amounts of energy and so not all of its mass/energy is added to that of the black hole.
 
  • #5
Blibbler said:
Remember that E=mc^2

When a star collapses to form a black hole a great deal of energy is released, often in the form of a supernova and probably gamma ray bursts as well. Therefore the resulting black hole will have a lower mass than the original collapsar.

However, its mass will be concentrated in a tiny volume and so its gravitational well will have much steeper sides than that of the original star.

Similarly, when matter associated with spacetime that flows into a black hole gets strongly accelerated and ripped apart it also emits large amounts of energy and so not all of its mass/energy is added to that of the black hole.

Many thanks Blibbler, that's how I imagined it. Would you have any idea how much less net mass and how much less net gravitational force? Again, I imagine it would depend on the mass involved, but given how little mass is involved in releasing nuclear energy, I'm guessing the net result would be perhaps something like 99% of the original.
 

1. What is the difference between a star and a black hole with the same mass?

The main difference between a star and a black hole with the same mass is their density. A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by its own gravity, while a black hole is a region of space with a gravitational pull so strong that even light cannot escape. This means that the mass of a black hole is concentrated in a much smaller space, resulting in a much higher density compared to a star.

2. Can a star turn into a black hole if it reaches a certain mass?

Yes, a star can turn into a black hole if it reaches a certain mass known as the Chandrasekhar limit. This limit is about 1.4 times the mass of our sun. When a star runs out of fuel for nuclear fusion, it can no longer support its own weight and will collapse under its own gravity, resulting in the formation of a black hole.

3. How does a star's mass affect the formation of a black hole?

The more massive a star is, the greater its gravitational pull will be. This means that a more massive star will have a stronger force of gravity acting on it, making it more likely to collapse into a black hole when it runs out of fuel. However, there are other factors, such as the star's composition and rotation, that also play a role in the formation of a black hole.

4. Does a star's mass determine the strength of a black hole's gravity?

Yes, the mass of a black hole directly determines the strength of its gravitational pull. The more massive a black hole is, the stronger its gravitational force will be. This is why black holes with extremely large masses, such as supermassive black holes found in the centers of galaxies, have a tremendous gravitational pull that can affect the motion of stars and other objects around them.

5. Is the gravitational force of a black hole the same as that of a star with the same mass?

No, the gravitational force of a black hole is much stronger than that of a star with the same mass. This is because the mass of a black hole is concentrated in a much smaller space, resulting in a much higher density and a stronger gravitational pull. Additionally, the gravitational force of a black hole increases as objects get closer to its event horizon, the point of no return, while the gravitational force of a star remains relatively constant throughout its volume.

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