What particles are black holes made of?

In summary, black holes are made up of a singularity, an infinitely small and dense point at the center, surrounded by an event horizon, a boundary beyond which nothing can escape. The singularity is thought to be made up of extremely compressed matter, while the event horizon is believed to be made up of particles that were once part of the collapsing star that formed the black hole. However, since the laws of physics break down at the singularity, the exact composition of black holes remains a mystery.
  • #1
fxdung
388
23
What particles that constitute the black holes?Does normal particles constitute the black holes?
How can we calculate the ratio of types of particles in the universe(we consider known matter but not consider dark energy and dark matter)?How can we calculate the total number of particles in the universe?
 
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  • #2
Black holes are not made of particles. A black hole is defined by a region of extremely curved space, caused by the presence of extremely dense mass. The type of mass that creates the curved space is irrelevant.
 
  • #3
Then if we do not consider Black Holes,Dark Matter and Dark energy,could we calculate the ratio of types of particles? Could we calculate the total number of up and down quarks,of electrons and of neutrinos in the Universe?
 
  • #4
fxdung said:
could we calculate the ratio of types of particles? Could we calculate the total number of up and down quarks,of electrons and of neutrinos in the Universe?

We can make rough estimates for the number of atoms in the observable universe based on the total amount of mass; see, for example, here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observable_universe#Matter_content_.E2.80.94_number_of_atoms

This estimate is based on most of the atoms being hydrogen atoms, so the number will also give a rough estimate of the number of protons (and hence quarks) and electrons. You could use estimates of the relative abundance of heavier elements to make a rough estimate of the number of neutrons (which would adjust the estimate for quarks). I'm not sure how you would estimate the number of neutrinos, since they are too light to affect the total mass significantly.
 
  • #5
PeterDonis said:
I'm not sure how you would estimate the number of neutrinos, since they are too light to affect the total mass significantly.
Most neutrinos are part of the cosmic neutrino background. You can compute it the same way you compute the photon density from the CMB. The result is large, neutrinos are the second most abundant particle in the Universe.
 
  • #6
The cosmic energy inventory does a related estimate: not particle numbers, but energy. Divided by the typical energy per particle it gives particle numbers. For atoms. about 3/4 of the mass is hydrogen and 1/4 is helium, the contribution from other elements are negligible (unless you consider planets separately).
 

1. What are black holes made of?

Black holes are not made of particles in the traditional sense. They are formed from the collapse of massive stars, and their composition is primarily determined by the mass of the star. However, they are theorized to be made up of a singularity, which is an infinitely small and dense point, surrounded by an event horizon.

2. Are there any particles inside a black hole?

The singularity at the center of a black hole is theorized to be made up of all the mass of the collapsed star, compressed into an infinitely small point. It is not composed of any known particles, but rather it is a point of infinite density and gravity. It is surrounded by the event horizon, which is the point of no return for any matter or particles that enter a black hole.

3. Can black holes be made of dark matter?

Black holes are not made of dark matter, which is a hypothetical form of matter that is believed to make up a large portion of the universe but does not interact with light. Black holes are formed from the collapse of regular matter, such as stars, and their composition is primarily determined by the mass of the star.

4. Can particles escape from a black hole?

Once a particle crosses the event horizon of a black hole, it cannot escape. This is because the gravity of a black hole is so strong that it bends the fabric of space-time, creating a one-way path towards the singularity. Even light, which is the fastest-moving particle, cannot escape a black hole's gravitational pull once it enters the event horizon.

5. Are black holes made of antimatter particles?

There is currently no evidence to suggest that black holes are made of antimatter particles. Antimatter is composed of particles with the same mass as regular matter but with opposite charges. Black holes are formed from the collapse of regular matter, and there is no indication that they are made of any type of antimatter.

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