BLACK HOLE MATH

Overview
Introduction to black holes
How big is a black hole?
The Milky Way black hole
Tidal forces
Misconceptions
Introduction to Black Holes
Black hole environments
are usually very messy.
Animation of how surrounding stars and
space would appear as you approached a black hole:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/gifcity/rsgrow.mpg
Animation of how surrounding stars and space would
appear as you circled a black hole from a distance:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/gifcity/circbh.mpg
Credit: April Hobart (Chandra: CXC)
(Credit: XMM-Newton/ESA/NASA)
How Big Is a Black Hole?
Problem 1
The Event Horizon
Escape Velocity
Kinetic Energy = Gravitational Potential Energy
1 G M m
--- m V
2 = ---------------
2 R
Escape Velocity
Escape Velocity
2 G M
V
2
= --------
R
For Earth:
R = 6,378 km
M = 6.0 x 10
24
kg
G = 6.67x10
-11
m
3
/(kgs
2
)
V
escape
11.2 km/s
Escape Velocity
2 G M
V
2
= --------
R
2 G M
V
escape
= --------
R
Escape Velocity
Earth: 11 km/s
Jupiter: 61 km/s
Sun: 620 km/s
Milky Way: 350 km/s
2 G M
300,000 km/s = --------
R
Newtonian black holes
The speed of light is
the escape velocity.
To solve for R, turn the crank
for a star like the sun
2 G M
R = --------------
c
2
Newtonian black holes
2(6.67x10
-11
)(1.9x10
30
)
R = --------------------------------
(3x10
8
)
2
One solar-mass black hole
R 2,800 meters
In general,
for a black hole
of mass M
R 2.8M km
where M is in solar masses.
Black Hole
Mass
Black Hole
Radius
Reference

Stars:
1 sun 2.8 km Small town
100 suns 280 km Greater L.A.
Star Clusters:
100,000 suns 280,000 km Earth-moon
Galaxies:
100 million stars 280 million km Mars-sun
1 billion stars 2.8 billion km Solar system
The correct explanation for the
black hole radius,
called the event horizon,
has to do with General Relativity,
not with Newtonian physics.
S
2
1
2
r
r (1
s
)c
2
t
2
r
(1
s
r
)
r
r
s
= Black hole radius
2.8M km
Everything outside the Event Horizon
is accessible to us.
Inside
Event Horizon
Increasing
intense
gravity
Space and
time are
distorted
Normal
undistorted
space
and time
Outside
Very
far
away
O to 1 R
1 R to 1000 R > 1000 R
The Milky Way Black Hole
Problem 5