Heat Applied to Black Hole: What Happens?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the hypothetical scenario of applying heat to a black hole and the implications of such an action. Participants explore concepts related to energy transfer, mass increase, and the nature of black holes in relation to energy and rest mass conversion.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Debate/contested, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions what happens when heat is applied to a black hole, specifically regarding energy transfer and the behavior of photons near the event horizon.
  • Another participant suggests that shining photons at a black hole could increase its mass, which would paradoxically decrease its effective temperature.
  • A different viewpoint emphasizes that the intention was to discuss energy transfer rather than temperature increase, questioning whether black holes are the only means of converting energy to rest mass.
  • Another participant counters that energy conversion to rest mass occurs in other contexts, such as in particle accelerators and atmospheric processes.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of applying heat to a black hole and the mechanisms of energy conversion, indicating that multiple competing perspectives remain without consensus.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the nature of black holes and energy transfer that are not fully explored, and there are unresolved questions regarding the mechanisms of heating a black hole.

Calimero
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If we somehow could apply a significant amount of heat to the black hole, what would happen? Photons get redshifted near the event horizon, so how energy transfer towards black hole goes?
 
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Calimero said:
If we somehow could apply a significant amount of heat to the black hole, what would happen? Photons get redshifted near the event horizon, so how energy transfer towards black hole goes?

How do you propose to heat the black hole? Radiation? Sure, we could try shining a bunch of photons in it. This would increase the mass of the black hole, which, curiously, decreases its [effective] temperature!
 
Well, I didn't say to raise its temperature, I said to transfer energy by the means of applying heat to it.

So can we state that black holes are only known way to convert energy to rest mass?
 
Calimero said:
So can we state that black holes are only known way to convert energy to rest mass?

That's not true. It routinely happens in particle accelerators and our own atmosphere.
 

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