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The ultimate consequence of gravitational collapse: How do black holes form in just a few milliseconds?
Deep in the universe, there are some confusing celestial bodies, including white dwarfs, neutron stars and mysterious black holes. These so-called compact objects all feel the powerful pull of gravity as part of their destiny. In this article, we will explore how these objects form and gain a deeper understanding of the process of black hole formation, especially the process that occurs in just a few milliseconds when a star collapses, triggering a massive explosion. A cosmic catastrophe.
Formation of Compact Objects
Compact objects are the end point of stellar evolution. When the radiation pressure inside the star cannot withstand the strong gravity, the star will experience an unprecedented collapse. This process is called the death of a star and depends primarily on the star's mass. When a massive star's core fusion ends and it can no longer maintain the heat and pressure inside it, it collapses.
This collapse forms a very dense stellar remnant, which can create a white dwarf, neutron star or black hole.
White dwarf process
White dwarfs are formed when nuclear fusion ends in the cores of main sequence stars. These stars are mainly composed of degenerate matter. Over time, white dwarfs will gradually cool and fade until they no longer emit light. However, if this process adds external mass, it will trigger a chain reaction and eventually produce a neutron star or a black hole.
Neutron Star Formation
A neutron star is the result of a white dwarf accreting too much mass, causing its internal electrons to combine with protons to form neutrons, causing it to collapse. At this time, the density of the star suddenly increases, even exceeding the structure of normal atoms. During the core process, some of the energy is released, resulting in a supernova explosion, which may trigger a huge event in the universe.
The state of a neutron star is very stable, but when the mass increases further, it may cause collapse again and form a black hole.
The formation of black holes
During the formation process of a black hole, once the mass of a star exceeds a certain critical limit, the core will be unable to withstand the force of gravity and a devastating gravitational collapse will quickly occur. In just a few milliseconds, the star's structure collapses and the escape velocity reaches the speed of light, forming a black hole.
Characteristics of a black hole
Black holes are characterized by their event horizon, whose inescapable nature makes them the most mysterious entities in the universe. Even very weak Hawking radiation cannot conceal their existence, because all light and matter are trapped within their event horizon.
A future where gravity collapses
As scientists explore the universe more deeply, they predict that all stars will eventually evolve into cool, dim, compact objects, a process that will take billions of years. Facing such a distant future, we can't help but wonder: What will be the ultimate fate of the universe?
How many unsolved scientific mysteries are hidden in the mystery of black holes? Will future data be able to reveal this mystery?
In this unknown universe, the formation and collapse of compact celestial bodies is not only a part of physics, but also the key to human understanding of the evolution of the universe. By observing celestial bodies in these extreme environments, we may be able to find deeper answers in the future and try to unravel the ultimate mystery of this cosmic race: where will our universe eventually go?
