Exploring Magnetism and Black Holes

In summary, researchers have suggested that magnetism plays a role in cramming matter into black holes, but there is still much mystery surrounding black holes and their dynamics. While gravity extends beyond the event horizon, the magnetic force has a relatively short range and it is questionable whether it alone could cause gas particles to fall into the black hole. However, there is no reason why a black hole couldn't have a magnetic field, and there are various ways for force particles to exist and transmit the force. Additionally, there is evidence that suggests black holes may have a relatively small magnetic field.
  • #1
Maplesyrup
5
0
I read recently that magnetism plays an important role in cramming all that matter into a black hole. But how is it possible that magnetic force could escape a black hole, having an escape velocity higher than the speed of light, therefore an impossibility of matter(or energy) escaping?
 
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  • #2
Maplesyrup said:
I read recently that magnetism plays an important role in cramming all that matter into a black hole.

Where exactly?
 
  • #3
Vanadium 50 said:
Where exactly?

http://news.nationalgeographic.com.au/news/2006/06/060621-black-holes.html


/\There and about a million other sites
 
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  • #4
Energy can escape from a black hole (it's called Hawking radiation). Levels of hawking radiation are meant to be so low that it would take longer than the predicted lifetime of the universe for a black hole to evaporate though.

I see no reason why a black hole couldn't have a magnetic effect though (who knows, black holes may actually be magnetic monopoles :)). Particles can't escape from the black hole, but that's not to say that the black hole couldn't have a magnetic field with the electromagnetic force carried by particles that are created on the edge of the event horizon... black holes are a fairly large mystery still though (I remember one student of physics once telling me that equations regarding black holes are 'you have the equations that calculate what our theories say about black holes... then you add in a huge fudge factor that brings the calculations in line with what we've observed about black holes'... hardly good science there yet :))
 
  • #5
So its the accretion disc having the magnetic tug rather than the actual black hole. Thanx a lot makes a lot more sense:D
 
  • #6
Maplesyrup said:
I read recently that magnetism plays an important role in cramming all that matter into a black hole. But how is it possible that magnetic force could escape a black hole, having an escape velocity higher than the speed of light, therefore an impossibility of matter(or energy) escaping?

Gravity extends beyond the event horizon and so does magnetism. The event horizon is just the distance that light falls back inwards.

To be honest, I am a bit skeptical of these researchers for saying that it must be magnetism that sucks gas from an orbiting star into the black hole. Gas particles bounce around in all different directions, meaning that a star which is barely in a stable orbit will have lots of gas particles constantly falling out of that stable orbit. Also, the magnetic force has a relatively short range compared to gravity.
 
  • #7
Maplesyrup said:
So its the accretion disc having the magnetic tug rather than the actual black hole. Thanx a lot makes a lot more sense:D

It makes sense to me as a way for the particles of force to exist with a magnetic field extending beyond the event horizon. I'm not saying it is correct, and I think junglebeast makes a better point in being skeptical of the idea and the accretion disk building up from random movements of an orbiting stars matter (Brownian motion, yes?).

Still, there is no reason why a black hole can't have a magnetic field and there are numerous ways for the force particles to exist and transmit the force, so that doesn't count against the idea.
 
  • #8
I think that is discussing external magnetic fields. Core collapse black holes should have only a small field.
 

FAQ: Exploring Magnetism and Black Holes

What is magnetism and how does it work?

Magnetism is a phenomenon that occurs when certain materials, such as iron, nickel, and cobalt, attract or repel each other. This is due to the alignment of magnetic particles within the material, creating a magnetic field that can exert a force on other nearby objects.

How do we explore magnetism in space?

We can explore magnetism in space through the use of satellites and spacecraft equipped with instruments that can detect and measure magnetic fields. These instruments can provide valuable information about the magnetic properties of celestial objects, such as planets and stars.

What is a black hole and how is it related to magnetism?

A black hole is a region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, including light, can escape from it. Magnetism plays a role in black holes as they are often surrounded by a disk of hot, ionized gas called an accretion disk. The magnetic fields within this disk can influence the behavior of matter falling into the black hole.

Can magnetism be used to study black holes?

Yes, magnetism can be used to study black holes. By measuring the magnetic fields around black holes, scientists can gain a better understanding of their structure and the processes that occur within them. Magnetism can also help us detect and study the jets of energy and matter that are emitted by black holes.

How does magnetism affect the behavior of matter near a black hole?

Magnetism plays a significant role in the behavior of matter near a black hole. The strong magnetic fields near a black hole can cause matter to heat up and emit high-energy radiation. These magnetic fields can also influence the shape and movement of the accretion disk, which can affect the rate at which matter falls into the black hole.

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