Black Holes - Where does all the matter go

Janus

Quote by BenGoodchild

Okay, I may sound stupid here but that won't be anything new so lets go for it.

If just outside the singularity there is in an infinite gravtiational force, then surely, in accordance with the relationship of forces (1/r^2), then the force must always be infinite.

No,
the gravitational force is infinite at the singularity because r=0. At any r>0 the gravitational force is finite.

BenGoodchild

Quote by Janus

No, the gravitational force is infinite at the singularity because r=0. At any r>0 the gravitational force is finite.

Thank you for clearing that up.

Regards,

Ben

russ_watters

Quote by BenGoodchild

And one final question, if I speed towards a black hole from the other side of the universe near the speed of light, and of course become cloesr to the singularity, am i acclerated by it, u ptowards the speed of light further, or am I unaffected due to my speed, surely with infinite gravity, I will be accelerated.

From the point of view of an observer stationary wrt the black hole, you will continue to accelerate hyperbolically approaching C, but never getting there. From your point of view, you will accelerate constantly, but get to the black hole before reaching C (it doesn't matter how strong the black hole's gravity is or how fast you started - you won't ever reach C).

BenGoodchild

One last question on this, when we get down to really small things, which have no mass, are they attracted by black holes or not? I was thinking not.

Regards,

Ben

chroot

All particles have energy, and almost all have mass. In general relativity, both energy and mass both couple to gravity, so all particles, whether massive or not, are affected by gravity. All particles, including photons, will be attracted to a black hole.

Black holes were so named originally because light (which is massless) cannot escape from them.

- Warren

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BenGoodchild	One last question on this, when we get down to really small things, which have no mass, are they attracted by black holes or not? I was thinking not. Regards, Ben

chroot Recognitions: Gold Member Science Advisor Staff Emeritus	All particles have energy, and almost all have mass. In general relativity, both energy and mass both couple to gravity, so all particles, whether massive or not, are affected by gravity. All particles, including photons, will be attracted to a black hole. Black holes were so named originally because light (which is massless) cannot escape from them. - Warren