Information loss via black Holes

In summary: When information is lost in a black hole it is said to generate heat. This was discovered in the 1970's when Stephen Hawking claimed that information is lost in black hole evaporation. However, this was later found to be incorrect. What was found was that when information is lost in a black hole, heat is generated. This was discovered in the Black Hole War, Leonard Susskind 2008. When Stephen Hawking first postulated that virtual black holes would create heat in empty space, he was mistaken. What he realized was that what was happening was that the existing heat with the black hole was "released" beyond the event horizon and exposed so we could observe its effects. This was later found to be true. However, what is not clear
  • #1
Naty1
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This question is about the relationship between information, entropy and heat.

I think it was in the 1970's the Hawking claimed "information is lost in black hole evaporation". This did not mean it was just inaccessible, but that it has literally disappeared, gone forever.

In the Black Hole War, Leonard Susskind 2008, pg 23 discusses when he first realized this must be wrong:
What's so bad about losing a bit of information in a balck hole? Then it dawned on us. Losing information is the same as generating entropy. The virtual black holes that Stephen had so blithly postulated would create heat in empty space. . We (estimated)..that if Stephen were right empty space would heat up to a thousand billion billion billion degrees in a tiny fraction of a second.


So assuming there IS information sitting in a black hole why is heated generated
when it evaporates? Is the existing heat with the black hole "released" beyond the event horizon and exposed so we can observe its effects...is that what Susskind is getting at?? And if so was all the "hidden stuff" necessarily so hot before it became a black hole..doesn't seem so.
 
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  • #2
gravitational energy converted to heat energy?? hee

perhaps the things that black hole sucked in are still inside and are breaking up to form heat energy??
 
  • #3
just found this old question of mine...no, there is no matter inside the event horizon..only gravitational energy...all matter is believed destroyed...compressed into sub Planck unknown form...

and by the way, I don't think entropy and heat must inevitably accopmany each other but that relationship is not at all clear to me...
 
  • #4
Naty1 said:
and by the way, I don't think entropy and heat must inevitably accopmany each other but that relationship is not at all clear to me...

Entropy is the the measure of disorder in a system. So water heating up to its boiling point is an example of a system whose entropy is increasing, correct? Particles are vibrating faster and faster causing the system's entropy to increase as water to approaches its boiling point.

I can't think of anything in nature where where a system's heat increases but it's entropy does not (or vice versa).

What exactly is not clear about that relationship to you / can you provide a situation where this is not relationship is not true?

(This discussion should be moved to the General Physics Forum)?
 
  • #5
Naty1 said:
So assuming there IS information sitting in a black hole why is heated generated
when it evaporates?
Where there is information there is entropy and where there is entropy there is heat.
 

What is "Information loss via black holes"?

"Information loss via black holes" refers to the idea that when an object falls into a black hole, all information about that object is lost and cannot be retrieved. This concept is a paradox in physics, as it conflicts with the principle of information conservation.

How does information get lost in black holes?

According to the theory of general relativity, when an object crosses the event horizon of a black hole, it is pulled into the singularity at the center. This singularity is a point of infinite density and gravity, where the laws of physics as we know them break down. It is believed that at this point, all information about the object is destroyed.

Is there any evidence for information loss via black holes?

There is currently no direct evidence for information loss via black holes. However, the paradox has been a subject of much debate and research in the field of theoretical physics. Some theories, such as Hawking radiation, suggest that information may be able to escape from black holes in the form of particles, but this is still a topic of ongoing research.

What are the implications of information loss via black holes?

If information loss via black holes is confirmed, it would have significant implications for our understanding of the universe and the laws of physics. It would challenge the principle of information conservation and potentially require a new theory to explain how information can be lost without violating fundamental laws of physics.

Can information be retrieved from black holes?

Currently, there is no known way to retrieve information from a black hole. However, some theories, such as the holographic principle, suggest that information may be encoded on the surface of the black hole and could potentially be retrieved in the future. This is still a topic of ongoing research and debate in the scientific community.

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