Nathaniel Kan

Perspectives on Science
Observing Black Holes Questions
September 22, 2001

1. What is meant by "event horizon"?

The distance from the center of a black hole from which the escape velocity, or
the speed required for an object to escape the black hole’s gravity, exceeds the speed of
light. Anything within the event horizon of a black hole, including light, will thus fall to
the center of the black hole.

2. Will our sun become a black hole? Explain your answer.

No, our sun will not become a black hole. In order for a star to overcome electron
degeneracy and become a neutron star, it must have a mass of at least 1.4 solar masses. In
order for a star to become a black hole, it must have at least a mass of 3 solar masses. Our
sun has 1 solar mass. In order for our sun to become a black hole it would need to accrete
2 more solar masses.

3. Calculation of the lower limit of the mass of a compact object in an X-ray binary
system depends on generation of a velocity curve. What is the curve and how is it
generated?

The velocity curve is a curve which illustrates the speed at which the compact
object rotates around the companion star. The curve is generated by calculating the angle
at which the system is tilted, then determining the difference in the Doppler shift as the
compact object moves along its path.

4. How has comparison of black hole systems and neutron star systems provided
evidence that black holes in fact have event horizons?

When an object falls towards any other mass, such as a neutron star, it emits
radiation. It also emits more radiation when it impacts with that mass. In the case of a
black hole, however, when an object impacts the outer most shell of the black hole, it
emits no radiation, because all the radiation is drawn inescapably into the black hole.
Because we see a difference in the amount of radiation between an object hitting the
surface of a neutron star, and an object hitting the “surface” of a black hole, it is theorized
that the event horizon prevents any radiation from escaping.