If an electron falls into a black hole?

In summary, leptons are considered to be eternal as they do not naturally decay. However, if a lepton is thrown into a black hole, its mass will be added to the black hole and it may be converted into radiation through the process of Hawking radiation. This process is still largely unknown and beyond the standard model speculation. The interaction between classical general relativity and quantum mechanics is not fully understood, making it difficult to predict the fate of leptons in the future of our expanding universe.
  • #1
zeromodz
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Leptons are supposed to be eternal because they do not decay. What about if you through a lepton (say electron in this case) into a black hole. The electron gets destroyed black hole and its mass gets added to the black hole. Wouldn't the electron be converted into a photon by the means of hawking radiation?

In other words, can leptons decay into radiation? If so, by what means and is it inevitable in the future of our expanding universe?
 
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  • #2
Hawking radiation need not be purely photons. However, most of this is beyond the standard model speculation.
 
  • #3
Throwing an electron into a BH is described by classical GR. Creating Hawking radiation (at the event horizon and observed at spatial infinity) is described by semiclassical methods (free quantum fields on a curved background).

Unfortunately we do not have a fully worked out theory of quantum gravity which tells us how a quantum state |BH,electron> looks like (as a state in Hilbert space) and how it evolves with time.
 

FAQ: If an electron falls into a black hole?

What happens to an electron when it falls into a black hole?

When an electron falls into a black hole, it is no longer observable or distinguishable as an individual particle. This is because black holes have a strong gravitational pull that can overcome even the strongest forces, including the electromagnetic force that holds particles together. The electron will eventually reach the singularity at the center of the black hole, where it is crushed to an infinitely small point.

Can electrons escape from a black hole?

No, once an electron falls into a black hole, it can never escape. This is due to the strong gravitational pull of the black hole, which creates an event horizon. The event horizon is a point of no return, beyond which the escape velocity is greater than the speed of light. Since nothing can travel faster than the speed of light, the electron (or any other object) is trapped inside the black hole.

Will the electron contribute to the mass of the black hole?

Yes, the electron will contribute to the mass of the black hole. In fact, all matter that falls into a black hole adds to its mass. This is one of the ways that black holes grow larger over time. However, the mass of an electron is extremely small compared to the mass of a black hole, so the contribution is negligible.

Can we observe the effects of an electron falling into a black hole?

No, we cannot directly observe the effects of an electron falling into a black hole. This is because the gravitational pull of a black hole is so strong that it even prevents light from escaping, making it impossible for us to see inside. However, we can observe the indirect effects of an electron (or any other matter) falling into a black hole, such as changes in the motion of nearby objects or the emission of X-rays and other forms of radiation.

What happens to the information of an electron when it falls into a black hole?

According to current theories, the information of an electron (or any other matter) is lost when it falls into a black hole. This is a concept known as the "black hole information paradox," and it is still a topic of debate and research in the scientific community. Some theories suggest that the information may be preserved in some form, but it is currently not fully understood how this would happen.

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