I Does Black Hole Evaporation Violate the Second Law of Thermodynamics?

AI Thread Summary
Black holes evaporate by emitting virtual particles, leading to a decrease in their mass and energy. This process raises questions about entropy, as a shrinking black hole appears to reduce entropy, potentially violating the second law of thermodynamics. The discussion draws a parallel to freezing water, which also decreases entropy without violating thermodynamic laws. The key inquiry is whether the same principles that apply to freezing water can be extended to black holes. Understanding this relationship is crucial for reconciling black hole evaporation with thermodynamic laws.
Einstein's Cat
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Hawking showed that black holes dissipate energy when virtual particles are "emitted" by black holes and therefore black holes evaporate. However it seems to me that a shrinking black hole means a decrease in entropy and thus a violation of the second law of thermodynamics; is this the case?
 
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Einstein's Cat said:
Hawkings showed that black holes dissipate energy when virtual particles are "emitted" by black holes and therefore black holes evaporate.

Hawkings didn't do this. Hawking did,

Einstein's Cat said:
However it seems to me that a shrinking black hole means a decrease in entropy

Freezing water does the same thing.

Einstein's Cat said:
nd thus a violation of the second law of thermodynamics

Does freezing water violate the second law? If not, why not? And does the same explanation apply to black holes?
 

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