What Happened in a Black Hole
Inside a black hole, current scientific understanding breaks down, and traditional physics cannot describe what occurs. It is theorized to be a singularity, a point of infinite density surrounded by an event horizon beyond which nothing can escape, not even light. The laws of physics as we know them cease to apply at the singularity.
Understanding the Basics of Black Holes
Black holes have no insides, so essentially, there is nothing in them. It is impossible to give a short, accurate description of black holes without inadequacy. They are so completely different from anything encountered in daily life that even metaphors fail to provide a clear picture. Therefore, the simplest way to think about it is to imagine a large, old star that has long ceased conventional fusion within its core.
The core of a dying star becomes fantastically dense. During a supernova explosion, the star's outer layers collapse inward due to the disappearance of all the outward pressure. This inward-focused shockwave further compresses the already dense matter, leading to a singularity.
The Singularity and Event Horizon
When the maximum density is reached, the volume of matter ceases to exist, as if it had been erased from the universe. The boundary that defines where the singularity exists and where the rest of the universe continues is called the event horizon.
The event horizon does not act as a surface but rather behaves like one in most respects, functioning as a perfect, impervious barrier. Anything that hits it, including all its component quanta, will shatter and spray off into space in all directions.
Everything that was once at the center of the star and beyond the event horizon is scattered in this manner, eventually becoming a quantum form of energy, momentum, spin, and charge. This process can take an incredibly long time, with a typical black hole undergoing this change over a trillion years.
The Process of Black Hole Evaporation
Over billions of years, the black hole will emit radiation. Initially, this will be in the form of very long-wavelength photons that are barely noticeable. Millions of millennia after the black hole has ceased to exist, it will start emitting recognizable radio waves.
As the process accelerates, the radiation becomes more intense across the electromagnetic spectrum. Finally, in the last moments, the black hole will emit electrons, protons, and short-lived exotic particles, before ceasing to exist altogether.
Conclusion
Understanding the behavior of black holes is crucial for astrophysics and our comprehension of the universe. The study of black holes continues to be a fascinating and challenging pursuit in the realm of theoretical physics, pushing the boundaries of what is known about the cosmos.