Do the black holes have infinite mass ?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the nature of black holes, specifically questioning whether they have infinite mass and how this relates to the concept of infinite density. Participants explore theoretical implications, the nature of singularities, and the dynamics of the universe in relation to black holes.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that black holes do not have infinite mass, questioning the concept of infinite density in relation to singularities.
  • One participant suggests that if a singularity exists at the center of a black hole, it would have zero volume but finite mass, leading to the idea of infinite density being a mathematical abstraction rather than a physical reality.
  • Another participant argues against the notion that the entire universe could be orbiting a black hole, stating that this interpretation does not align with how the universe operates.
  • A later reply introduces the idea that singularities may not occur in nature, proposing that the mass of a black hole is spread over a non-zero volume, thus challenging the notion of infinite density.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally disagree on the implications of black holes having infinite mass and density, with multiple competing views presented regarding the nature of singularities and the dynamics of the universe.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the nature of singularities and the interpretation of mathematical models in physics, which remain unresolved. The relationship between mass, volume, and density in the context of black holes is also a point of contention.

kapoor_kapoor
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Do the black holes have infinite mass? If no then how can they have infinite density? Can we suppose that all the universe is orbiting a black hole (as heaviest masses bend the space time most) and loosing energy at some rate ?
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
kapoor_kapoor said:
Do the black holes have infinite mass?

No.

kapoor_kapoor said:
If no then how can they have infinite density?
Who says they do? In some sense, the mass would all be concentrated at ##r = 0##, but within the event horizon, the radial coordinate is time-like so it does not really correspond to a distance inside the black hole. Outside of ##r = 0##, the Schwarzschild black hole corresponds to a vacuum solution to the Einstein field equations.

kapoor_kapoor said:
Can we suppose that all the universe is orbiting a black hole (as heaviest masses bend the space time most) and loosing energy at some rate ?
No. This is not how the Universe works.
 
kapoor_kapoor said:
Do the black holes have infinite mass?
No, and a quick google search would have given the same answer.
kapoor_kapoor said:
If no then how can they have infinite density?
If there is a singularity in the center as general relativity predicts, it has zero volume but a finite mass.
kapoor_kapoor said:
Can we suppose that all the universe is orbiting a black hole (as heaviest masses bend the space time most) and loosing energy at some rate ?
No we cannot, that does not make sense.
 
It is generally believe that singularities never actually occur in nature although they pop up all the time in mathematical equations used to describe physical laws. For example the electric field of an electron is expressed by <script class="js-extraPhrases" type="application/json"> { "lightbox_close": "Close", "lightbox_next": "Next", "lightbox_previous": "Previous", "lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.", "lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow", "lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow", "lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen", "lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails", "lightbox_download": "Download", "lightbox_share": "Share", "lightbox_zoom": "Zoom", "lightbox_new_window": "New window", "lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar" } </script> <div class="bbImageWrapper js-lbImage" title="latex.png" data-src="https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/latex-png.200277/" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-single-image="1"> <img src="https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/latex-png.200277/" data-url="" class="bbImage" data-zoom-target="1" style="" alt="latex.png" title="latex.png" width="72" height="24" loading="lazy" decoding="async" /> </div> where R is the distance from the electron. The catch here is the electron is not a physically infinitesimal point, by the laws of quantum physics, it is smeared out over a finite volume of space so the distance 'R' can never actually be zero. Something very similar probably also applies to a black hole singularity. The finite mass of a black hole is smeared out over a phyically non-zero volume of space. Hence the density is never actually infinite in physical reality.. We cannot currently quantify the true volume of a black hole singularity. For more extensive discussion see http://www.askamathematician.com/2012/09/q-what-are-singularities-do-they-exist-in-nature/
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: kapoor_kapoor

Similar threads

  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
2K
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
6K
  • · Replies 40 ·
2
Replies
40
Views
5K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
3K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K