How Are Black Holes Formed and What Are Their Key Facts?

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Black holes form primarily through two mechanisms: the collapse of massive stars and direct collapse of primordial matter. When a massive star exhausts its nuclear fuel, gravity overwhelms the core, leading to a collapse that can result in a black hole if the core's mass is sufficient. The escape velocity at the event horizon equals the speed of light, meaning nothing can escape once it crosses this boundary. There are ongoing debates about the exact processes and theories surrounding black hole formation, but the existence of black holes is well-supported by astronomical observations. Understanding black holes remains a complex area of research, with many aspects still not fully understood.
  • #31
Well on physics we have rule what says: when objects mass is very big then it have's strong gravity so black hole must be have very big mass:biggrin:
 
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  • #32
SteamKing said:
Sometimes, even if a dead star leaves a neutron star behind, this star can collect enough additional mass from surrounding gas to collapse into a black hole.

It's also possible for two neutron stars to collide and, because their combined mass is so great, only a black hole is left behind.

Not so. The most massive neutron star which has been observed is about 2 solar masses. The smallest black hole observed is about 5 solar masses. Draw your own conclusions.
 
  • #33
Bernie G said:
Not so. The most massive neutron star which has been observed is about 2 solar masses. The smallest black hole observed is about 5 solar masses. Draw your own conclusions.

There may be BHs which are smaller than 5 solar masses, but we just haven't observed them. There's no violation of any fundamental physics laws if smaller BHs exist.

Two neutron stars have been shown in simulation to merge into a single object which forms a BH.

http://www.iflscience.com/space/what-happens-when-neutron-stars-collide
 
  • #34
SteamKing said:
There may be BHs which are smaller than 5 solar masses, but we just haven't observed them. There's no violation of any fundamental physics laws if smaller BHs exist.

Two neutron stars have been shown in simulation to merge into a single object which forms a BH.

http://www.iflscience.com/space/what-happens-when-neutron-stars-collide
Bhs smaller than 5 sm are possible.Those bh are so light than few clues are released ( x ray...) so maybe in the future we will find super light bhs.
 
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  • #35
Gravity effects the entire electromagnetic spectrum, not just photons or objects with mass, correct? Therefore, would not the gravity of a black hole, once the event horizon is crossed, also "consume" infrared radiation? If that is true, than would not the temperature of a black hole at its event horizon always be absolute zero? Would that not contradict quantum field theory in curved space-time that predicts that event horizons emit radiation like a black body with a finite temperature?
 

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