1. Feb 4, 2013

### AbsoluteZer0

Hi,

I recently came across this formula:

$T = \frac{\hbar c^3}{8 \pi GK_BM}$

As I understand it deals with the radiation that is believed to be emitted by a black hole.
Does it describe the temperature of the radiation?

Thanks

2. Feb 4, 2013

### Simon Bridge

It describes the statistics of the radiation coming from close to the event horizon of a black-hole due to the large gravity gradient there.
"Temperature" is a common way of describing such statistics - the model says that the radiation coming from the black hole follows a blackbody spectrum with a characteristic temperature given by that equation.

3. Feb 4, 2013

### AbsoluteZer0

Thanks.

One more question I have regarding this equation is: how can we quantify the mass of a black hole (M)? Is it the mass of the singularity?

Last edited: Feb 4, 2013
4. Feb 4, 2013

### Simon Bridge

No worries.

In relativity or QM it helps to be carefully pedantic about what things are saying - and that goes squared for when when both of them are used together :)