Recent content by Tail

Well, neither light nor electrons can escape a black hole (by the way, I don't think it's correct to say electrons carry light). As regards not seeing light without particles, what do you mean by that? Light IS particles (photons), and it can't NOT be particles.

Still, they are supposed to be completely theoretical/ the result of complicated math?

Ok, just HOW could they exist, when the event horizon is just gravity, singularity is supposed to be infinitely contracted mass, and mass is supposed to have gravity? Any insights at all appreciated...

The gravitational force of black holes cannot be exaggerated. Either it's what we think it is, or black holes don't exist. Logic.

That nothing escapes the event horizon is PRECISELY the reason why one of the black holes can't escape another's event horizon. Nothing can. The only way for a black hole to get smaller is Hawking radiation. Essentially, nothing comes out of the black hole just virtual particles with negative...

Obviously, I meant virtual particles (by the way, Hawking mentions situations where real particles have negative energy). I agree that because of Hawking radiation a black hole gets smaller, its mass/energy decreases, just nothing gets out of it. It's all about quantum fluctuations. I suggest...

Well, nothing goes OUT of the black hole, it's impossible, just particles with negative energy go in. Or so I understand it.

Hmm... I thought the point was they DON'T emit it? A black hole loses mass, but never emits any... that's the good part. :rolleyes: :biggrin:

I must say this is the best post I've ever read on the Physics Forums. Or at least close.

Well, you SAID "on the event horizon".

I think that once you're on the horizon, no rocket will help you.

Obviously, you must define what you mean by "life" so that people can explain the conditions needed for it. I myself think kuengb's explanation was pretty good.

Well, a black hole bends space a lot. At the singularity the curvature of space is infinite or close to infinite, depending on which physicist you tend to agree more. A black hole can roughly be defined as everything inside its event horizon. The event horizon is where light cannot escape...

I might be wrong, but I do think that at least most, if not all, black holes form due to a star collapsing (except for primordial black holes perhaps).

Hmm... are you saying a black hole is not a collapsed star? What is it then?