Gravitational pull of a black hole

In summary, the gravity of a black hole remains relatively the same because gravitational attraction depends on mass, which stays constant. It is possible for a planet to orbit a black hole, as shown by the first exoplanet discovered orbiting a pulsar. This pulsar, PSR B1257+12, is a neutron star with a strong magnetic field that could potentially become a black hole if it accreted enough mass. The fact that planets have been found orbiting this neutron star suggests that planets could also form in a stellar system that contains a black hole. The evidence of exoplanets around pulsars also indicates that there is a lower bound on the stellar mass that can form planetary systems, which is just slightly higher than the
  • #1
Andrew Buren
18
0
Hi, doesn't the gravity of a black hole remain relatively the same? It should because gravitational attraction depends on mass, which stays the same. And if it does, is it posible for a planet to orbit the BH.? (without light, of course)
 
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  • #2
Well the first exoplanet ever discovered orbited a pulsar:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSR_B1257+12
PSR B1257+12 is a neutron star with a strong magnetic field that spins so rapidly that it “pulses”. The density of a neutron star is very close to being a black hole and if it accreted mass from a neighbor it would become a black hole. So, yes, a planet could orbit a black hole.
 
  • #3
The question isn't really whether or not planets could orbit a BH, but rather, if they could form in a stellar system that will eventually contain a BH. The evidence of exoplanets around pulsars puts at least a lower bound on the stellar mass which will form planetary systems. Since the mass of a star that will form a black hole is just a tad bit higher, it seems likely that these stars could have planetary systems.
 
  • #4
Thanks
 

1. What is the gravitational pull of a black hole?

The gravitational pull of a black hole is the force of gravity exerted by the black hole on objects near it. It is an incredibly strong force that can pull in even the fastest-moving objects.

2. How does the gravitational pull of a black hole compare to that of a planet or star?

The gravitational pull of a black hole is much stronger than that of a planet or star. This is because a black hole has a much greater mass, and therefore, a greater gravitational pull.

3. Can anything escape the gravitational pull of a black hole?

Anything that gets too close to the event horizon (the point of no return) of a black hole will not be able to escape its gravitational pull. This includes light, which gives black holes their name.

4. How does the distance from a black hole affect its gravitational pull?

The closer an object is to a black hole, the stronger the gravitational pull will be. This is due to the inverse square law, which states that the force of gravity decreases with distance.

5. What happens to objects that are pulled into a black hole's gravitational pull?

If an object gets pulled into a black hole's gravitational pull, it will experience extreme tidal forces and will be stretched and torn apart. Eventually, it will be crushed into a single point known as the singularity.

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