[NASA] What Is a Black Hole? (Grades 5-8)

[SpaceMan 0]

This article is for students grades 5-8

A ****** hole is a region in space where the pulling force of gravity is so strong that light is not able to escape. The strong gravity occurs because matter has been pressed into a tiny space. This compression can take place at the end of a star’s life. Some ****** holes are a result of dying stars.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Because no light can escape, ****** holes are invisible. However, space telescopes with special instruments can help find ****** holes. They can observe the behavior of material and stars that are very close to ****** holes.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Words to Know

mass: the measurement for the amount of matter in an object

_________________________________________________________________________________________

How Big Are ****** Holes?

****** holes can come in a range of sizes, but there are three main types of ****** holes. The ****** hole’s mass and size determine what kind it is.

The smallest ones are known as primordial ****** holes. Scientists believe this type of ****** hole is as small as a single atom but with the mass of a large mountain.

The most common type of medium-sized ****** holes is called “stellar.” The mass of a stellar ****** hole can be up to 20 times greater than the mass of the sun and can fit inside a ball with a diameter of about 10 miles. Dozens of stellar mass ****** holes may exist within the Milky Way galaxy.

The largest ****** holes are called “supermassive.” These ****** holes have masses greater than 1 million suns combined and would fit inside a ball with a diameter about the size of the solar system. Scientific evidence suggests that every large galaxy contains a supermassive ****** hole at its center. The supermassive ****** hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy is called Sagittarius A. It has a mass equal to about 4 million suns and would fit inside a ball with a diameter about the size of the sun.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

How Do ****** Holes Form?

Primordial ****** holes are thought to have formed in the early universe, soon after the big bang.

Stellar ****** holes form when the center of a very massive star collapses in upon itself. This collapse also causes a supernova, or an exploding star, that blasts part of the star into space.

Scientists think supermassive ****** holes formed at the same time as the galaxy they are in. The size of the supermassive ****** hole is related to the size and mass of the galaxy it is in.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

If ****** Holes Are “******,” How Do Scientists Know They Are There?

A ****** hole cannot be seen because of the strong gravity that is pulling all of the light into the ****** hole’s center. However, scientists can see the effects of its strong gravity on the stars and gases around it. If a star is orbiting a certain point in space, scientists can study the star’s motion to find out if it is orbiting a ****** hole.

When a ****** hole and a star are orbiting close together, high-energy light is produced. Scientific instruments can see this high-energy light.

A ****** hole’s gravity can sometimes be strong enough to pull off the outer gases of the star and grow a disk around itself called the accretion disk. As gas from the accretion disk spirals into the ****** hole, the gas heats to very high temperatures and releases X-ray light in all directions. NASA telescopes measure the X-ray light. Astronomers use this information to learn more about the properties of a ****** hole.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Could a ****** Hole Destroy Earth?

****** holes do not wander around the universe, randomly swallowing worlds. They follow the laws of gravity just like other objects in space. The orbit of a ****** hole would have to be very close to the solar system to affect Earth, which is not likely.

If a ****** hole with the same mass as the sun were to replace the sun, Earth would not fall in. The ****** hole with the same mass as the sun would keep the same gravity as the sun. The planets would still orbit the ****** hole as they orbit the sun now.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Words to Know

red giant star: a star that is larger than the sun and red because it has a lower temperature

white dwarf star: a small star, about the size of Earth;
one of the last stages of a star’s life

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Will the Sun Ever Turn Into a ****** Hole?

The sun does not have enough mass to collapse into a ****** hole. In billions of years, when the sun is at the end of its life, it will become a red giant star. Then, when it has used the last of its fuel, it will throw off its outer layers and turn into a glowing ring of gas called a planetary nebula. Finally, all that will be left of the sun is a cooling white dwarf star.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

How Is NASA Studying ****** Holes?

NASA is learning about ****** holes using spacecraft like the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Swift satellite, and the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Fermi launched in 2008 and is observing gamma rays – the most energetic form of light – in search of supermassive ****** holes and other astronomical phenomena. Spacecraft like these help scientists answer questions about the origin, evolution and destiny of the universe.

Who Studies ****** Holes?

Are you interested in a career that studies ****** holes? Many different types of researchers study ****** holes. Here are a few examples:

Astrophysicist: These scientists study the physics of the universe. They are interested in learning how the universe began, how it is evolving, and how it works. Click here to learn more about NASA’s Astrophysics Division.

Computer Scientist: These scientists study ways to use computers to solve problems. They might create new software, research theoretical concepts, or develop algorithms. Computer scientists developed algorithms to sort telescope data during the process of capturing the historic first image of a ****** hole.

More About ****** Holes

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Read

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Explore More for Students Grades 5-8

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

For verified travel tips and real support, visit: https://hopzone.eu/