That would depend on the size of the black hole. For a small black hole, it would be ripped apart (sphagettified) by tidal forces before ever getting to the event horizon. For a large black hole it would be sphagettified some time after it entered the event horizon, also by tidal forces.Enjamiering said:What would happen if you were to fly a starship traveling near the speed of light directly into a black hole?
Would it stay in tact because it cannot be accelerating any faster?
Or would it split because it's being accelerated in all directions simultaneously?
He's asking whether, at ~c, the craft can spaghettify. And if so, how?phinds said:That would depend on the size of the black hole. For a small black hole, it would be ripped apart (sphagettified) by tidal forces before ever getting to the event horizon. For a large black hole it would be sphagettified some time after it entered the event horizon, also by tidal forces.
Traveling near the speed of light relative to what? The black hole?Enjamiering said:What would happen if you were to fly a starship traveling near the speed of light directly into a black hole?
Speed is restricted to no greater than the speed of light- not acceleration.Would it stay in tact because it cannot be accelerating any faster?
Being torn apart means that the pieces are accelerating (and gaining speed) relative to each other. But they start out with 0 speed relative to each other. The fact that the ship is near c relative to the black hole is irrelevant.Or would it split because it's being accelerated in all directions simultaneously?
The speed of light is a physical constant that represents the speed at which electromagnetic radiation travels in a vacuum. It is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second (or about 670,616,629 miles per hour).
In the theory of general relativity, the speed of light plays a crucial role in understanding the behavior of black holes. According to this theory, the speed of light is the fastest speed at which any object can travel, including light itself. As such, it is used to describe how gravity works in the presence of a black hole.
According to current theories, nothing can escape from a black hole once it has passed the event horizon (the point of no return). This includes light, which is why black holes appear completely black to an outside observer.
As an object gets closer to a black hole, its speed (including the speed of light) appears to slow down from an outside observer's perspective. This is due to the strong gravitational pull of the black hole, which warps space and time.
According to the theory of relativity, the speed of light is constant in a vacuum and does not change regardless of the observer's frame of reference. However, the speed of light can be affected by the medium it is traveling through, such as air or water, which can cause it to appear slower.