I'm a little puzzled on this one. Gravity is supposed to be...

Answer by bubster007
Submitted on 10/5/2004
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In your question you are making an assumption that all Gravity is the same and it is a generic force and that the earth's Gravity is weak in comparison to Light. Thus, you feel that the Gravity of a Black Hole should be weak like earth's Gravity. Further, you are associating the word black with the absence of light. A black Hole is full of light. It is black because no light can escape. When you think of gravity you are associating it with the pulling force of a rock (the earth). You are correct in your association of gravity and light,in that they are both forces of energy and thus can be compared. All forms of energy travel at different wave lengths. X-ray, Gamma Ray, etc. They are all the same thing traveling at different frequencies. Like a radio dial, Sound would fall lower on the radio dial than Light. Earth's Gravity would fall even lower than Sound but a Black Hole's Gravity would be higher on the radio dial than Light. The mass and density of an object determines its gravitational pull. The mass of a Black Hole cannot be comprehended because there is nothing tangible to even compare it to. Just because you cannot see it does not mean it does not have mass. The Sun has mass but it radiates Light away yet it still has enough Gravity to hold an attraction on distant planets. A Black Hole is the reverse of the Sun. It has so much mass that it attracts Light or it can be said no Light can escape or radiate outwards. If the moon had enough mass it would not reflect light. Light travels in a straight line. Any light that travels to a Black Hole does not reflect. It is absorbed. Sound can be absorbed or reflected. Any form of energy can be absorbed or reflected. All energy is the same thing. Sound becomes Light if the frequency is speeded up. Light becomes Sound if slowed down. Our bodys have receptors or receivers. Our eyes are receptors to most of the light frequencies. Our ears are receptors to some sound frequencies. Dogs hear frequencies we cannot hear. Bats scream so loud but at a sound frequency we do not have receivers on our bodies to perceive. We manufacture X-ray and Gamma Ray receivers. All these forms of energy are one and the same, only traveling at different speeds. They all follow the same laws. They can all be absorbed or reflected. Actually (Einstein proved this) Mass and Energy are the same thing and Mass can be converted to Energy. By the same token, Energy can be converted to Mass... but I will digress and leave this for your next question.

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Question by Hector
Submitted on 6/3/2004
Related FAQ: N/A
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I'm a little puzzled on this one. Gravity is supposed to be a weak force compared to electromagnatism (light), yet light cannot overcome the gravitational force of a black hole. Could someone explain?

Answer by Thucydides
Submitted on 1/19/2005
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As I understand it, gravity may be a weak force but when an object is dense enough it can have substantial power. A black hole, formed from a collapsing star, is strong enough to overcome even "stronger" forces. A cup of lead is heavier then a cup of feathers. But two pounds of feathers are still heavier then one pound of lead.

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