Does captured light increase a black hole's mass?

[Decimator]

As energy cannot be created or destroyed, what happens to a black hole that captures a photon? Does the black hole's mass increase by the energy of the photon? Or is the photon simply trapped there, and then escape when the black hole finally evaporates from hawking radiation?

Or something else entirely?

 

[Mordred]

E=mc² so yes captured energy does increase a BH's mass

 

[rexregisanimi]

The photon looses its identity upon entering the Black Hole. It is lumped into the Black Hole's mass and will not come out again as itself so far as we know.

Hope that helps :p

 

[Astrofan]

E=mc² so yes captured energy does increase a BH's mass

Just a comment, General Relativity uses "mass-energy" and a source to cause "curvature" in space-time (or if you like it better this way: a source of "gravity")

Therefore, yes, photons, as they carrying energy, they will increase the mass-energy of the black hole. (and therefore it's gravity)