Question about speed of light and black holes

[Nexus555]

Hello, this is my first post! I cannot say I am a physicist in any way, however my dream is to go back to college for Astronomy. Anyways I have a question concerning the idea of the speed of light and black holes.

In the laws of physics, it states that the speed of light is the fastest known (and mathematically known) speed in the universe. How is it that speed cannot escape the pull of a black hole? Am I just thinking of the concept of a black hole wrong? Is it a gravitational suction that is pulling matter into it, or is the gravity collapsing just bending the fabric of space into itself which then wouldn't matter of speed? Basically, if the speed of light is the fastest force, shouldn't it easily escape the speed at which a black hole pulls, or a black hole doesn't nessesarily pull things in at a certain speed, it just bends space deeper and wider causing what's in it's way to be forced into it?

And if it does "suck" things in it, wouldn't the suction of a black hole be the fastest speed, since light cannot escape it's "pull?"

Thanks in advanced!

 

[MeJennifer]

The space-time curvature of a black hole past the event horizon causes all incomming and outgoing light rays to converge towards the center of the black hole ( the singularity).

 

[Entropia]

Hi there! Welcome to the world of astronomy and physics. It's great to see your interest in these fields. The concept of the speed of light and black holes can be quite confusing, so let's break it down.

First, let's clarify that the speed of light is not just the fastest force, but it is the fastest speed at which anything can travel in the universe. This is because the speed of light is a fundamental constant in the laws of physics and cannot be surpassed by anything, including matter and energy.

Now, to understand why the speed of light cannot escape the pull of a black hole, we need to talk about the concept of gravity. As you mentioned, a black hole has a strong gravitational pull that is caused by the massive amount of matter and energy it contains. This pull is so strong that it warps the fabric of space-time around it, creating a deep well-like structure.

In this curved space-time, the path of light is also curved. This means that even though light travels at the speed of light, its path is curved towards the center of the black hole, making it impossible for it to escape. It's like trying to climb out of a deep well - no matter how fast you run, you will eventually fall back down.

So, it's not necessarily the speed at which a black hole pulls that is the issue, but rather the curved space-time that makes it impossible for anything, including light, to escape.

I hope this explanation helps clarify things for you. Keep asking questions and learning more about the fascinating world of physics and astronomy. Good luck with your studies!