Black Holes are Singularitiesor vice versa?

In summary, black holes and singularities are often used interchangeably, but they are not exactly the same thing. While black holes have singularities at their center, singularities can also exist without being a part of a black hole. Event horizons and constant acceleration can also exist in relation to singularities without necessarily involving a black hole. The concept of singularities and black holes is still being studied and understood in the context of general relativity and quantum theory.
  • #1
FoxCommander
87
1
Black Holes are Singularities... or vice versa?

Ok so a Singularity is a place in space time where gravity or the things used to determine gravity become infinite. So does this mean that Black Holes are types of Singularities or Black Holes have Singularities in the center, or Black Holes and Singularities are the same thing?
 
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  • #2


They're the same thing. The term 'black hole' is a way of explaining a singularity.

edit: To clarify that a bit... the singularity is the 'heart' of a black hole. The hole itself begins at the event horizon, which is the radius from the singularity at which the escape speed is equal to light speed. You can't have one without the other.
 
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  • #3


Danger said:
They're the same thing. The term 'black hole' is a way of explaining a singularity.

edit: To clarify that a bit... the singularity is the 'heart' of a black hole. The hole itself begins at the event horizon, which is the radius from the singularity at which the escape speed is equal to light speed. You can't have one without the other.

I disagree. The idea of black holes is fairly well established. However what goes on inside (singularity?) is an open question. General relativity and quantum theory need to work together, but they don't.
 
  • #4


Black holes and singularities are not the same thing.

You can have singularities in general relativity that are not black holes. The best example is the Big Bang singularity.

Danger said:
To clarify that a bit... the singularity is the 'heart' of a black hole. The hole itself begins at the event horizon, which is the radius from the singularity at which the escape speed is equal to light speed. You can't have one without the other.

You can have event horizons in general relativity without any singularity. For instance, an observer with a constant acceleration has an event horizon.

You can also have singularities without event horizons. The Big Bang singularity isn't hidden behind an event horizon.
 

FAQ: Black Holes are Singularitiesor vice versa?

What is a singularity in relation to black holes?

A singularity is a point of infinite density and zero volume that is theorized to exist at the center of a black hole. It is where the laws of physics, as we know them, break down and cannot accurately describe the behavior of matter.

How are black holes and singularities related?

Black holes are thought to be formed when a massive star collapses into a singularity, due to the force of its own gravity. The singularity then becomes the center of the black hole, surrounded by an event horizon, which is the point of no return for anything that enters the black hole.

Can we observe a singularity directly?

No, we cannot observe a singularity directly as it is hidden behind the event horizon of a black hole. The intense gravitational pull of a black hole also makes it impossible for anything, including light, to escape from its grasp.

What happens to objects that enter a singularity?

Objects that enter a singularity are essentially crushed out of existence due to the extreme gravitational forces. The matter is compressed into an infinitely small point, adding to the mass and strength of the singularity.

Are singularities the only explanation for black holes?

No, there are other theories and models that attempt to explain the behavior of black holes, such as the holographic principle and the fuzzball model. However, the singularity model is currently the most widely accepted explanation for the existence of black holes.

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