What Is the Size of a Black Hole?

In summary, a black hole is a region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, including light, can escape its grasp. It is formed when a massive star dies and its core collapses in on itself. The size of a black hole varies depending on its mass, with the largest discovered so far being 40 billion times the mass of our sun. The size of a black hole is measured by its event horizon, which is the point of no return where the gravitational pull becomes so strong that even light cannot escape. According to current theories, a black hole can only grow in size as it continues to absorb matter and increase its mass, but there are some theories that suggest they can evaporate over extremely long periods of time.
  • #1
George
6
0
Can anyone say how big a black hole is? Could its diameter be less than the distance that light can travel - ie less than one wavelength?
 
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  • #2
One wavelength at what frequency? Waves can be as small, I guess, as the Planck length. Or smaller?
 

FAQ: What Is the Size of a Black Hole?

What exactly is a black hole?

A black hole is a region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, including light, can escape its grasp. It is formed when a massive star dies and its core collapses in on itself.

How big can a black hole get?

The size of a black hole varies depending on its mass. The basic rule is that the more mass a black hole has, the larger it will be. The largest black hole discovered so far is about 40 billion times the mass of our sun.

How is the size of a black hole measured?

The size of a black hole is measured by its event horizon, which is the point of no return where the gravitational pull becomes so strong that even light cannot escape. The event horizon is directly proportional to the mass of the black hole.

Can a black hole ever shrink in size?

According to current theories, a black hole can only grow in size as it continues to absorb matter and increase its mass. However, there are some theories that suggest black holes can evaporate over extremely long periods of time due to Hawking radiation.

Is it possible for a black hole to have a size of zero?

No, it is not possible for a black hole to have a size of zero. All black holes have a finite size, even if it is extremely small. This is because the event horizon is directly proportional to the mass of the black hole, and even a small mass will have a corresponding event horizon.

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