Understanding Black Hole Evaporation with Hawking Radiation

In summary, the theory of Hawking Radiation suggests that black holes have a temperature and can radiate heat, but this is not entirely accurate. Black holes actually lose mass by taking in anti-particles from virtual particle pairs, rather than emitting particles themselves. This exchange allows for the black hole to lose mass without anything actually leaving it. The description of Hawking Radiation as particles and anti-particles is just a heuristic and may not accurately reflect the actual process, which can only be explained by math.
  • #1
cbd1
123
1
With the theory of Hawking Radiation, people generally say to imagine that the black hole has a temperature, so it must radiate heat. But, this really is not how it is said to work.

The means by which the black hole evaporates is not that particles are actually coming out of it, or that it is radiating heat. But rather, the black hole is losing mass by taking in anti-particles from virtual particle pairs. So it is not that mass leaves the black hole, but that the black hole sucks up anti-mass. What comes away from the hole is not actually anything extracted from the hole, but a particle that was created outside of the hole. So what has happened is there has been an exchange, the black hole's taking in anti-mass allows for the mass of the new particles Is this basically correct, actually more accurate than saying that something is coming "out of" the black hole?

On a side note, why again is it that there is not an equal balance. You would think that there would be a 50% chance that the positive particle go in the hole and the anti-particle to fly away. That is, why would it not balance, half the time taking in the normal particle and half the time taking in the other?
 
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  • #2
There is a fundamental problem with your question and it is this: you are taking literally a heurestic. The "particle / anti-particle" description of Hawking Radiation is just a heuristic posited by Hawking himself, who described it as being just the best he could do to explain in English something that really can only be explained by math.

As I understand it, BH's DO have a temperature and they do radiate but until they get very small their outgoing radiation is totally swamped by incoming radiation, even if that is from nothing but the CMB. As to the exact methodology of the radiation, I do not know the math and can only refer you to Hawking's formal papers.
 

Related to Understanding Black Hole Evaporation with Hawking Radiation

1. What is a black hole?

A black hole is a region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, including light, can escape from it. It is formed when a massive star dies and its core collapses under its own weight.

2. How does Hawking radiation contribute to the understanding of black hole evaporation?

Hawking radiation is a theoretical process proposed by physicist Stephen Hawking. It suggests that black holes emit radiation due to quantum effects near the event horizon, causing them to gradually lose mass and eventually evaporate.

3. What is the relationship between temperature and black hole evaporation?

According to Hawking's theory, as black holes emit radiation, they also lose mass, which causes them to gradually increase in temperature. This means that smaller black holes will evaporate faster and at a higher temperature than larger ones.

4. How does Hawking radiation challenge the laws of thermodynamics?

The laws of thermodynamics state that energy cannot be created or destroyed. However, Hawking radiation suggests that black holes can emit energy in the form of radiation, which seems to contradict this law. This has sparked ongoing debates and further research in the scientific community.

5. Can Hawking radiation be observed or measured?

As of now, Hawking radiation is still a theoretical concept and has not been directly observed or measured. However, scientists are working on developing new technologies and methods to detect and study this phenomenon in the future.

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