Mass Absorption -V- Black Hole size

In summary, black holes can have varying masses depending on what they have absorbed, with the smallest known black hole having 3.6 solar masses. The average mass of a galaxy such as the Milky Way is around 1-1.5 x 10^12 solar masses. Even the smallest black hole would take an incredibly long time to evaporate, and its rate of evaporation would depend on the energy of the Cosmic Microwave Background. The radiation from Hawking radiation is released from outside the event horizon and does not have to pass through the black hole's mass.
  • #1
Spice
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How much mass would even the smallest of black holes have to absorb (keeping also in mind the radiation lost as it grows) to obtain its size?

And considering the largest Black holes discovered so far, how much mass would it have had to gobble up to get to that size?

On the average, how much mass is there in an average galaxy? or even that of galactic dust clouds?

And lastly, given the rate of evaporation due to (I think its called Hawking radiation) venting, how long would it take even the smallest black hole to vanish? (or would it after a point not be large enough to lose its own mass due to the venting)?

Added preponderance: If a black hole is so dense, How could the hawkings radiation escape through the mass? I am not talking gravity, but instead Its packed density.

Thank you.T Spicer
 
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  • #2
Spice said:
How much mass would even the smallest of black holes have to absorb (keeping also in mind the radiation lost as it grows) to obtain its size?

And considering the largest Black holes discovered so far, how much mass would it have had to gobble up to get to that size?

The mass of a black hole is the mass of whatever it "gobbled up". All known naturally occurring black holes have at least 3.6 solar masses, though they can theoretically be less massive than that.

On the average, how much mass is there in an average galaxy? or even that of galactic dust clouds?

I don't know what the average galaxy is, or even if we know, but the Milky Way has a mass of about 1 - 1.5 x 1012 solar masses. (1 solar mass = the mass of our sun)

And lastly, given the rate of evaporation due to (I think its called Hawking radiation) venting, how long would it take even the smallest black hole to vanish? (or would it after a point not be large enough to lose its own mass due to the venting)?

A black hole of 1 solar mass would take 2.098 × 1067 years to evaporate, far longer than the current age of the universe. However, it would still be gaining mass as it absorbs radiation from the Cosmic Microwave Background, meaning that the actual time would be a bit longer as the energy of the CMB would need to drop further in order to allow the black hole to give off more energy than it takes in.

Added preponderance: If a black hole is so dense, How could the hawkings radiation escape through the mass? I am not talking gravity, but instead Its packed density.

Thank you.T Spicer

The radiation is released from OUTSIDE the event horizon, so it doesn't have to get through anything. (Unless there is something orbiting the black hole, such as an accretion disk)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawking_radiation
 
  • #3
A black hole with a mass more than about 10^23 kg [slight less than 1% Earth mass} would absorb more energy from the present day CMB than it radiates via Hawking radiation. The smallest possible black hole mass is the Planck mass. It would only 'live' for about a Planck time before it evaporated.
 

Related to Mass Absorption -V- Black Hole size

1. What is "Mass Absorption" and how is it related to black hole size?

Mass absorption is the process by which matter is pulled into a black hole due to its strong gravitational pull. The size of a black hole is directly related to its mass, so the more matter it absorbs, the larger its size will become.

2. How does the size of a black hole affect its ability to absorb mass?

The size of a black hole does not directly affect its ability to absorb mass. However, a larger black hole has a stronger gravitational pull, which means it can pull in more matter and increase its size even further.

3. Is there a limit to how much mass a black hole can absorb?

Yes, there is a limit known as the "Schwarzschild radius" which is the distance from the center of a black hole at which the escape velocity equals the speed of light. Any matter that passes within this radius will be pulled into the black hole and cannot escape.

4. Can black holes stop absorbing mass once they reach a certain size?

No, black holes do not stop absorbing mass once they reach a certain size. As long as there is matter within its reach, a black hole will continue to grow in size through mass absorption.

5. How does the size of a black hole affect its lifespan?

The size of a black hole does not directly affect its lifespan. However, a larger black hole has a slower rate of absorbing mass, so it may take longer for it to reach its maximum size. The lifespan of a black hole is determined by its mass and the rate of Hawking radiation, which is the slow emission of energy from the black hole.

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