What are some features of black holes?

Answer 1

A black hole has two main components: the singularity and the event horizon. The singularity is the point at which the black hole's mass is concentrated. The nature of the singularity is not known as the laws of physics are we currently understand them break down under these extreme conditions. The event horizon is a spherical region around the black hole from which nothing can escape once it crosses inside, not even light.

If a black hole is feeding the in-falling matter may form a swirling accretion disk. As the matter approaches that black hole it gets forced into a small space and becomes extremely hot, emitting powerful x-rays. Not all of the matter can fit in. What doesn't fit gets ejected in two beams of subatomic particles moving at nearly the speed of light.

Answer 2

Sometimes - no-one knows why - stars collapse in on themselves. This increases their gravity (a force that pulls everything inwards). Nothing escapes - not even light. These very dense bodies are called black holes. :)

Answer 3

Answer: The only property that scientists can agree on is that a black hole is a phenomenon whereby gravity has become so intense, that even light itself is bent back around and cannot escape.

Beyond that, different groups of scientists have speculated about what may occur. Some theories include that black holes are rips in the fabric of our universe, leading either to another time or another universe altogether, or that quasars are where the matter and energy from black holes are returned to our universe.

Since just about every galaxy we've found has a supermassive black hole at its center -- including our own Milky Way -- another conjecture is that such oversized black holes are somehow required for galaxy formation, in some as-yet poorly understood way.

My personal favorite saying about black holes, however, is that black holes are where God is dividing by zero.

Answer: The only properties that can distinguish one black hole from another are its mass, its rotational momentum, and its electric charge. The electric charge is expected to equal to zero. Even magnetic fields disappear in black holes.

Answer 4

Trustworthy, loyal, and courteous.