Black holes - a few questions from a newb

In summary, black holes are formed when a star collapses due to its own gravity. The matter in the star becomes very dense and creates a black hole. The matter entering the black holes becomes part of it. Hawking radiation is a slow process of evaporation for black holes. The black hole continues to exist due to its own gravity. Wikipedia is a good source for more information on black holes.
  • #1
fawk3s
342
1
so how are they actually created. i know it happens on a collapsing of a star due to the big gravity which it has, but what's the real physical concept behind it. it can't be just like everting your shirt, right?

what do black holes concist of? or what are they?

where does the matter theoretically go when it enters the hole? ofc its torn apart, but the small particles?

what is Hawking radiation?

when 2 black holes collide, does the bigger one swollow the smaller or do they combine?

what keeps the black hole going?

thanks
 
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  • #2
A black hole is simply very dense matter. In a star there is a constant battle between gravity pulling all the matter in, and pressure from heat pushing it out. When a large star stops producing heat gravity can finally force all the matter inwards and overcome the forces that would normally stop matter from reaching the density needed to become a black hole. Matter entering the black holes becomes part of it, the same way matter entering the Earth becomes part of it.

Hawking radiation is a very slow process by which the matter in the black hole slowly evaporates and radiates away. There are many threads that explain why and how.

The black hole keeps going for the same reason that anything with gravity keeps going.

Wikipedia is a good place for overviews.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_hole
 

1. What is a black hole?

A black hole is a region in space with a gravitational pull so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it. This happens when a massive star dies and collapses in on itself, creating a singularity.

2. How big are black holes?

Black holes can vary in size, but the smallest black holes are about the size of a single atom, while the largest can be billions of times more massive than our sun.

3. Can anything escape a black hole?

No, once something crosses the event horizon of a black hole, it cannot escape. This includes light, which is why black holes appear black and invisible to us.

4. Do black holes have a specific shape?

Black holes are often depicted as a swirling vortex, but in reality, they have no defined shape. The shape of a black hole is determined by its event horizon, which is the point of no return where the gravitational pull becomes too strong.

5. Do black holes only exist in space?

Black holes are primarily found in space, but they can also exist on a much smaller scale in a laboratory setting. Scientists have been able to create tiny black holes using powerful particle accelerators.

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