Unanswered Question: White Dwarfs and Black Holes

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the relationship between white dwarfs and black holes, specifically addressing why white dwarfs do not become black holes while other stars with less mass can. Participants explore concepts related to stellar evolution, the nature of black holes, and the theoretical existence of primordial black holes.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question why white dwarfs, which have significant mass, do not become black holes, while other stars with less mass can.
  • There is a discussion about the mass and density of black holes compared to neutron stars and white dwarfs, with some participants asserting that black holes have more mass than neutron stars.
  • A participant raises a point about the theoretical concept of mini black holes, which are thought to have formed during the Big Bang, and questions their current existence and stability.
  • Another participant clarifies that the limit separating neutron stars from black holes is the Oppenheimer-Volkoff limit, not the Chandrasekhar limit.
  • There are claims regarding the evaporation of primordial black holes due to Hawking radiation, with some suggesting that they could form stable bound states that interact gravitationally.
  • Concerns are raised about the density of these primordial black holes and their implications for gravitational microlensing and the existence of other peculiar astronomical phenomena.
  • Participants discuss the nature of gravity and its relationship to energy, with some expressing confusion about whether gravity can be considered negative energy.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the nature of black holes, the limits of stellar evolution, and the implications of primordial black holes. There is no consensus on several points, particularly regarding the definitions and relationships between gravity, energy, and the characteristics of black holes.

Contextual Notes

Some claims depend on specific definitions and assumptions, such as the limits that separate different types of stellar remnants. The discussion also touches on unresolved questions about the existence and properties of primordial black holes and their potential interactions.

  • #31
Loren:
Can you define what's a neutron galaxy?
 
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  • #32
I think this thread's become a bit to complecated for me :frown:
Maybe I should read a good book on this subject, any suggestions?
 

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