- #31
Warp
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leroyjenkens said:
Because that's what GR predicts.
Size of Black Holes: A Closer Look
- Context: Graduate
- Thread starter jaydnul
- Start date
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- Tags
- Black holes Holes
Click For Summary
Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the physical size of black holes, particularly the nature of their singularities and event horizons. Participants explore whether all black holes are infinitely small points or if they have measurable physical sizes, and how mass and density relate to their gravitational influence.
Discussion Character
- Debate/contested
- Conceptual clarification
- Exploratory
Main Points Raised
- Some participants propose that all black holes contain a singularity at their center, which is considered to be a point of virtually zero size, while the event horizon is proportional to the mass of the black hole.
- Others argue that the mass that forms a black hole may not be condensed into an infinitely small point, suggesting that it could be packed more tightly than in a star, potentially having a measurable radius.
- A later reply questions the implications of the singularity on the outside characteristics of black holes, noting that General Relativity is thought to break down inside the event horizon.
- Some participants highlight that the mathematical models indicate a dimensionless point with infinite density, but this is acknowledged as a limitation of current understanding.
- There is a suggestion that rotating black holes (Kerr black holes) may have ring singularities rather than point singularities.
- Several participants express uncertainty about the implications of the singularity for the nature of matter and space, indicating that ordinary matter ceases to exist as one approaches the singularity.
- Some contributions emphasize the lack of a current theory that explains the conditions inside the event horizon, leading to further questions about the relationship between mass and the size of the event horizon.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants generally do not reach a consensus on whether all black holes are infinitely small points or if they can have measurable sizes. Multiple competing views remain regarding the nature of singularities and the implications for black hole structure.
Contextual Notes
The discussion reveals limitations in current models of black holes, particularly regarding the definitions of singularities and the behavior of matter under extreme conditions. There is an acknowledgment that existing theories do not fully explain phenomena occurring inside the event horizon.
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