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2006-06-14 14:47:41 · 12 answers · asked by Sean S 2 in Science & Mathematics Astronomy & Space

12 answers

A black hole is what remains when a massive star dies.
The concept of an object from which light could not escape (e.g., black hole) was originally proposed by Pierre Simon Laplace in 1795. Using Newton's Theory of Gravity, Laplace calculated that if an object were compressed into a small enough radius, then the escape velocity of that object would be faster than the speed of light.
If you have read How Stars Work, then you know that a star is a huge, amazing fusion reactor. Because stars are so massive and made out of gas, there is an intense gravitational field that is always trying to collapse the star. The fusion reactions happening in the core are like a giant fusion bomb that is trying to explode the star. The balance between the gravitational forces and the explosive forces is what defines the size of the star.
As the star dies, the nuclear fusion reactions stop because the fuel for these reactions gets burned up. At the same time, the star's gravity pulls material inward and compresses the core. As the core compresses, it heats up and eventually creates a supernova explosion in which the material and radiation blasts out into space. What remains is the highly compressed, and extremely massive,
core. The core's gravity is so strong that even light cannot escape.
This object is now a black hole and literally disappears from view. Because the core's gravity is so strong, the core sinks through the fabric of space-time, creating a hole in space-time -- this is why the object is called a black hole. When material falls into a black hole from a companion star, it gets heated to millions of degrees Kelvin and accelerated.The star Cygnus X-1 is a strong X-ray source and is considered to be a good candidate for a black hole. stellar winds from the companion star, HDE 226868, blow material onto the accretion disk surrounding the black hole.As this material falls into the black hole, it emits X-rays.In addition to X-rays, black holes can also eject materials at high speeds to form jets. Many galaxies have been observed with such jets. Currently, it is thought that these galaxies have supermassive black holes (billions of solar masses) at their centers that produce the jets as well as strong radio emissions.One such example is the galaxy M87.It is important to remember that black holes are not cosmic vacuum cleaners -- they will not consume everything. So although we cannot see black holes, there is indirect evidence that they exist. They have been associated with time travel and worm holes and remain fascinating objects in the universe. There are two types of black holes:
Schwarzschild - Non-rotating black hole
Kerr - Rotating black hole
The Schwarzschild black hole is the simplest black hole, in which the core does not rotate. This type of black hole only has a singularity and an event horizon.
The Kerr black hole, which is probably the most common form in nature, rotates because the star from which it was formed was rotating. When the rotating star collapses, the core continues to rotate, and this carried over to the black hole (conservation of angular momentum). The Kerr black hole has the following parts:
Singularity - The collapsed core
Event horizon - The opening of the hole
Ergosphere - An egg-shaped region of distorted space around the event horizon (The distortion is caused by the spinning of the black hole, which "drags" the space around it.)
Static limit - The boundary between the ergosphere and normal space
If an object passes into the ergosphere it can still be ejected from the black hole by gaining energy from the hole's rotation.
However, if an object crosses the event horizon, it will be sucked into the black hole and never escape. What happens inside the black hole is unknown; even our current theories of physics do not apply in the vicinity of a singularity.
Even though we cannot see a black hole, it does have three properties that can or could be measured:
Mass
Electric charge
Rate of rotation (angular momentum)
As of now, we can only measure the mass of the black hole reliably by the movement of other objects around it. If a black hole has a companion (another star or disk of material), it is possible to measure the radius of rotation or speed of orbit of the material around the unseen black hole. The mass of the black hole can be calculated using Kepler's Modified Third Law of Planetary Motion or rotational motion.

2006-06-14 18:59:50 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

Black holes are gravity wells formed when super massive starts die. Stars convert Hydrogen to Helium, and continue up the atomic chart as they exhaust their primary fuel. Once they reach Iron, the star cannot make the needed energy jump to create the next element. Each time it increases energy to fuse heavier elements, it produces more heat and expands. When the expansion can no longer be maintained, the star collapses under it's own gravity and goes Nova or Super Nova. The energy released here IS enough to fuse heavier elements than Iron. It also pushes with such force that either a nuetron star is formed, or, if the star is truely massive, a black hole. A black hole has a vast gravity field because the matter is compressed into an area smaller than can be comprehended by traditional science. The Event Horizon of a Black Hole is a point at which even light cannot escape. Space time there is so warped that the path light takes, while still straight, is so curved by gravitational effects, that it cannot leave

2006-06-14 15:01:30 · answer #2 · answered by SteveA8 6 · 0 0

In laymens terms, a black hole is a high concentration of mass. The concentration is so great that the gravity traps everything, even light, from escaping its horizon.A black hole is formed when a large enough star, much larger than ours, runs out of hydrogen to fuse. The star starts to form shells where the farther in you go, the heavier the elements are fusing. When a star cannot usaully fuse anymore elements(the biggest stopping at iron)the energy that is formed from the fusion center is gone. The star can no longer support its self at this point and implodes(collapses on its own gravity). The result is either a neutron star, or black hole.

2006-06-14 18:21:28 · answer #3 · answered by super_sayijn02 2 · 0 0

A black hole is a concentration of mass great enough that the force of gravity prevents anything past its event horizon from escaping it except through quantum tunnelling behaviour (known as Hawking Radiation). The gravitational field is so strong that the escape velocity past its event horizon exceeds the speed of light. This implies that nothing, not even light, inside the event horizon can escape its gravity. It is, however, theorized that wormholes can provide an exit path for energy or matter. The term "black hole" is widespread, even though it does not refer to a hole in the usual sense, but rather a region of space from which nothing can return.

The existence of black holes in the universe is well supported by astronomical observation, particularly from studying X-ray emission from X-ray binaries and active galactic nuclei.

2006-06-14 21:04:01 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

A black hole is a concentration of mass great enough that the force of gravity prevents anything past its event horizon from escaping it except through quantum tunnelling behaviour (known as Hawking Radiation). The gravitational field is so strong that the escape velocity past its event horizon exceeds the speed of light. This implies that nothing, not even light, inside the event horizon can escape its gravity. It is, however, theorized that wormholes can provide an exit path for energy or matter. The term "black hole" is widespread, even though it does not refer to a hole in the usual sense, but rather a region of space from which nothing can return.

2006-06-14 14:52:53 · answer #5 · answered by onemoreordinaryday 3 · 0 0

Check the links below

2006-06-14 14:49:07 · answer #6 · answered by Chris_Knows 5 · 0 0

a black hole is a region of space that has so much mass concentrated in it that there is no way for a nearby object to escape its gravitational pull.

2006-06-14 14:53:28 · answer #7 · answered by highlander44_tx 3 · 0 0

it happen when a big star(don't worry not our sun) dies. the star impands (kinda like the opposite of expands) and suck stuff in with its gravity it even sucks light in so its.called a black hole.

2006-06-14 14:57:51 · answer #8 · answered by Ninad T 2 · 0 0

I don't know that is your age....but I 'll try to give you the simplest way to understand.
try this site.

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/black_hole.htm

2006-06-14 15:37:50 · answer #9 · answered by UncleGeorge 4 · 0 0

its a vacuum in space

2006-06-14 14:50:55 · answer #10 · answered by wyldfyrsprite 2 · 0 0

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